SAN   CARLOS     l/OO 


ROBERT  ERNEST  COWAN 


THE  PIONEER  WORK 

OF  THE 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 
IN   MONTANA 


EDITED  BY  REV.  GEORGE  ^DWARDS, 

STATED    CLERK    OF  THE   SYNOD    OF    MONTANA 


REPRINTED   FROM    VOLUME    VI.    OF    THE   MONTANA    STATE 
HISTORICAL     SOCIETY. 


PRICE,     POSTPAID 
IN     BOOK     FORM.     SI. GO 
IN     PAMPHLET,  .50 


COPIES   CAN    BE  OBTAINED   OF 

REV,  GEO.  EDWARDS.  GREAT  FALLS,  MONTANA 


NDEPENDENT  ?UBLISHINa  COMPANY,     HELENA, 


<     ,1  I  ]'•  i'  I  I  J     •     ?     '  '  I    ,•.;  i'    .- 


"' -  •*  *D6rc'feased  ■Novembtr  30,   1^?.    -     "     ^  ^*  ^ 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

1.  The    Earliest    Pioneers    of    the    Churches    9 

2.  The  Work  of  Rev.   George  Gra.ntham   Smith,    ISiU-t'il    13 

3.  Early   Organization   by   Rev.    Thomas  V.  Moore,  D.   D 19 

4.  Church  Work  in  18T2  by  Rev.   James  R.   Russel,    Pli.   D 23 

5.  The  Bozeman  Church  by  Peter  Koch,  et   al 29 

6.  The    Bozeman   Academy   by   John   M.   Waters,    M.    D .■ 54 

7.  The    Hamilton     Church    of    Gallatin   Valley    58 

8.  The  Gallatin  Valley  Female  Seminary   by  Mrs.  Edward  M.  Davidson  CO 

9.  The    First    Presbyterian    Church    of  Helena  by  Rev.  T.  V.  Moore,  D.  D...  68 

10.  The    Anniversary    Address    of    Judge  Cornelius  Hedges  81 

11.  The      Anniversary      Paper      of     Mrs.   John   E.   Pyle    88 

12.  The  Rutherford-Wa,lker  Bible  by  Mrs.  A.   M.   Walker   94 

13.  The  Reminiscenes  of  Rev.  William  C.  Rommel    98 

14.  The    Churches     of    Deer    Lodge    and   Butte    First    by    Rev.    J.    R.    Russel, 

Ph.    D 10' 

15.  The  College  of  Montana  by  a  Former  Professor    119 

so  1«.    The  Missoula  Church,— The  Reminisce  noes  of  Rev.  Milton  L.  Cook   126 

S  17.    The  Chulrches  of  Bitter  Root  Valley     by  Rev.   Edwin  M.   Ellis   131 

'"'  18.    The  Wickes  Church  by  Rev.  Thomas  A.    Wickes    138 

>^  19.     The  Miles  City  Church   142 

««  20.    Notes   from  Memory  by  Rev.  Duncan  J.   McMillan,  D.  D 146 

S  21.    The  Fort  Benton  Church  by  Rev.  Charles  L.   Richards   151 

Ij   22.    The  White   Sulphur  Springs  Church ;.  153 

z:    23.  The    Work    of    Rev.    Edwa.rd    Payson   I.innell   by   Rev.   T.   V.    Moore,   D.   D.  160 

^    24.    The  Boulder  Church  by  Rev.   Thomas  A.    Wickes    161 

g   25.    The  Great  Falls  Church  167 

26.  A  Few   Historical  Facts  by  Rev.  Samuel  E.   Wishard,  D.   D 172 

27.  The  Lewistown  Church  173 

28.  The  Flathead  Valley  by  Rev.   George  McVey  Fisher   17S 

29.  The  Narrative  of  Rev.   Alexa.nder  K.   Baird,    D.    D 185 

30.  Work  Among  the  Indians  by  Rev.  Edwin   J.    Lindsey    193 

31.  The    Wolf    Point    Indian    Mission    by  Mrs.  Cynthia  D.  King  198 

32.  The  Woman's  Missionary   Society  by   Mrs.   Sara,li   B.   WhitehlU    203 

33.  The  Sabbath-School  Missionary   206 

34.  The  Growth  of  Thirty  Years  210 

35.  A   Bird's   Eye   View   of   the   "\\'ork   by   Rev.   Charles  F.   Richardson  213 


ERRA.TA, 

Ezra  P.  Gibney  should  be   Ezra  P.  Giboney Page  168 

Norma  Ellen  Ranch  should  be  Norma  Ellen  Raucli Page  209 


288501 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


INr>£:X  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
ANACONDA   CHURCH— 

Church   Building-   148 

Two  Pastors   148 

Elder  Marcellus  B.  Greenwood  209 

Anderson.  Mrs.   Elmer  J 154 

Hon.  James  T 154 

Arthur,   Elder  Chester   ;.  1% 

Aylesworth,    Miss    Ella    67 

Aspling,   Elder  Thomas   108 

Baird,  Rev.   Alexn.nder  K.,  D.  D 186 

Beachley,  William  p.   and  wife   159 

Bearflghter,    Elder   Basil    196 

Bell,  Elder  Samuel  and  Wife   57 

Elder   William   D.,    Sr 57 

Bishop,   Edgar  L 169 

Bitter  Root  Valley,   Workers  in  the ^. 132 

Blanchard,  Rev.  Jonathan,  D.  D 11 

Bottorf,    Elder  Jacob   K 1S2 

BOULDER  CHURCH- 

Church    Building    164 

Elders     165 

P'astors    KC 

Tlie  Boys"   Industrial   Department,   Indian  School    201 

The  Bozeman   Academy 55 

BOZEMAN  CHURCH— 

Church   Building   47 

Three    Elders    2S,  47 

Pastors    33 

Deacon  John  Craig  47 

Ea.rly    W^orkers    in    the    Missionary    Society    50 

Brantly,    Prof.    Theodore,    now    Chief   Justice    123 

Bra.sier,   Elder  Robert  T 117 

Brown,  Rev.  Kenneth   174 

Burkhart.  Rev.  Joseph  E 137 

Bush,   Elder  Edward  C 211 

Butcher,  Elder  Daniel   SO 

BUTTE,    FIRST  CHURCH— 

Church   Building   116 

Rev.    Eiko  J.   Groeneveld,  D.    D 116 

Mrs.    Loretta  V.   Groeneveld,   Wife  of  Rev.    E.   J 116 

Elders    117 

Immanuel  Church,  Building   172 

Rev.   F.   H.   Gwynne,   D.   D.,   Pastor 145 

South  Butte  Church,  Building  190 

Butter,  Rev.    James    B 212 

Mrs.   James   B 2W 

Calvin,  Rev.  Edward  MeCullough    143 

'Miss    Kate 123 

Ca.rnahan,  Rev.  Harry  A 148 

Catlin,  Rev.   William  E 155 

Mrs.   Emma  Smith,  Wife  of  \V.   E. 155 

Elder  Charles  B 155 

James  K 155 

John  S 155 

Elder  Thomas   W 108 

CHINOOK  CHURCH— 

Church   Building   191 

The  Session  of  1906  191 

A   Presbyterian  Church   Letter  of  ISOl 202 

Cobleigh,    Rev.    William    132 

Cook,   Rev.   Milton   L 22,125 

Elder  Vining  A 165 

The  Campus  and  Buildings  120 

The  Faculty  of  1887   123 

President   James  Reid,  D.   D 123 

President  Albert  B.  Martin  123 

President  Duncan  J.  McMillan.  D.  D 123.  145 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA. 


THE  COLLEGE  OF  MONTANA—  Page 

Cooper,  Mrs.  Walter  2'^ 

Corl,   Elder  William   E l'-" 

Courtney,    Mis.s  Caroline    199 

Craig,  Deacon  John   ^'^ 

Crittenden,  Rev.  Lyman  B '^J- 

Mrs.  Mary,  Wife  of  Lyman  B ^i 

Mi.s.s   Mary  Gertrude   'j- 

CULBERTSON  CHURCH— 

Church  Building   I'l 

Rev.   James   B.   Butter   -1- 

Mrs.   James   B.    Butter   -W 

Cuthbert,  Mrs.  Annie  C 89 

Davidson,  Elder  Edward  M 50 

Mrs.  Mary  Gertrude  Crittenden.   Wife  of  E.  M 62 

Elder  Joseph  J -^ 

DEER   LODGE   CHURCH— 

Church  Building   10^ 

The    Manse    ^^^ 

Elders    ^0? 

Dildine,   Elder  Henry    IJj^ 

Donaldson,   Rev.   Robert  M.,   D.   D ^3 

Dunham,  Elder  Slemmons  L 130 

Duncan,  David  1^9 

Elder  S.  Laws  -4 

Edsall,  Mrs.  Aylesworth  ^^ 

Edwards,    Miss   Anna   D 1'^ 

Rev.  George   '-^*^'_ 

Mrs.    Mary    A.    Catlin,   Wife   of   Rev.   George   loa 

Elders    "Called   Home"    in  1S05   -CjS 

Elders  Ordained  in  the  TO's   -^  -§ 

Ellis,  Rev.    Edwin   M 132,20, 

Elder  Charles  F ^^ 

Emerson,   Mrs.   Emma    S9 

Ewing,  Elder  Harry  Cla.y  1*;9 

Farrand,  Rev.  Fountain  R 1«S 

Fergus,  Elder  William : -09 

Fielding,  Mrs.   Henry 50 

Fisher,   Rev.  George 'McVey  and  Wife   1^9 

Flathead   Valley,    Pioneers  of    1'9 

Fletcher,  Elder  Edgar  1 1^ 

Foster,   Elder  George  E 1^9 

FORT  BENTON  CHURCH,  Rev.   Charles  F.    Reed    212 

FracMeton,    Rev.    William    S 2d 

The    Galla^tin    Valley    Female    Seminary *»^ 

Gardner,  Elder  Edward  M j' 

Garrett,   Elder  Harvey  W ^ 

Giboney,  Rev.   Ezra  P 16S 

Gilchrist,   Elder  George   King    1"9 

Girls'    Industrial   Department,    Indian   School   201 

Gortmuller,  Elder  Adolph  |i^ 

The  Gospel  Horse   1'9 

Goudie,*  Eder  John  M SO 

GREAT    FALLS   CHURCH- 

Church   Building   IjS 

Five  Charter  Members  159 

Pastors    l-iS.  16S 

Officers  in  190(J   169 

The  Old  School  House   I'O 

Greenwood,  Elder  Marcellus  B 209 

Groeneveld.   Rev.    Eiko  J.,   D.   D 116 

Mrs.  Loretta  v..   Wife  of  Rev.    E.    J 116 

Grube,  Rev.  C.  Howard  162 

Gwynne,  Rev.   Frederick  H.,  D.  D If-' 

Hall,  Mrs.  Joseph  Edgar  15-1 

THE  HAMILTON  CHURCH  (Gallatin  Valley). 

The  "Stone  Church'   Building   ^ 

Elders    , ,.,    57 

Rev.    Lyman    B.    Crittenden    and    Wife t>2,  6o 

Rev.   Davis  W'illson   ^^ 

*  Deceased  May  17,  1907. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 

Page 
THE   HAMILTON  CHURCH   (Ravalli   County.) 

The  Church  and  Ma^ise   137 

Two   Charter  Members    137 

Rev.  Jo-seph  E.   Burkhart    137 

Hamilton,   Rev.   John  S 191 

Hanna,  Rev.   Lyman  E 139 

Hanson,  Wilbur  F 175 

Mrs.  Mary  L.,   Wife  of  W.   F 175 

HARLEM   CHURCH,    Building    171 

Harlow,    Rev.    Samuel   A 69 

Harvev,  Elder  E.  H 147 

HAVRE   CHURCH,    Buildings    171 

Havdon,   Rev.   Ambrose   P 162 

Hays,  Rev.   Wa,lter  125 

Healy,  Rev.  George  W 148 

Hedges,    Elder   Cornelius    28,  80 

HELENA,   FIRST  CHURCH— 

New   Church   Building    79 

Old   Church    Building    71 

Elders    25,  28 

Pastors    69 

The  Session  of  1906   80 

Early   Workers   89 

Hewitt.   Rev.  John  D.,  D.  D 22 

Hill,   Miss  Mary   B 123 

Hodge,   Elder  David   Smith    80 

Holiday,    Miss   Mary    154 

IMMANUBL   CHURCH    OF   BUTTE,    Building    172 

Rev.    F.   H.    Gwynne,   D.   D.,   Pastor 145 

Indian  Boarding  School  at  Wolf  Point 199 

Jack,   Rev.   William   M 33 

Ja.ckson,   Rev.   Sheldon,  D.  D 20,  25 

Jamieson,    Elder  William    130 

Jardine,    John    169 

Jones,  Rev.  Hugh  W 147 

JUDITH   CHURCH    (Philbrook),   Chapel' ., 189 

Junkin,  William  F.  and  Wife   159 

KALISPELL  CHURCH— 

The    Church    Buildings    1S4 

The   Session   of  1906   182 

Kellogg.   Elder  Albert  Sargent  165 

Rev.  George  M.  Fisher  and  wife  179 

Kelsey,   Prof.   F.  D 123 

KENDALL  CHURCH— 

Two  Pastors  and  two  Elders  211,  212 

Rev.  T.  A.  Stancliffe  211 

Kennett,   Elder  Ferd   28,  130 

Kerr.   Rev.  Alexander  S 212 

King,   Mrs.  Cynthia  Rockwell   199 

Koch.  Mrs.   Peter   204 

Lamont,    Rev.    Hugh    125 

Leard,    WMla;rdH 169 

Leonard,   Prof.   N.   R 117 

LEWISTOWN   CHURCH— 

Church  Buildings   177 

The  Old  School  Hou.-:e   i7(l 

Charter   Memljers    175 

Pastors    1T4 

Miss   Anna    D.    Edwards    177 

William  Fergus   209 

Walter  B.   Miner    209 

Lindsey,   Rev.   Edwin  J 194 

Mrs.    Nancy   Hunter,    Wife   of   E.    J 194 

Linneill,   Rev.   Edward  Payson   145 

Little,    Elder  Nathaniel  S 130 

Lynn,   Rev.  John  F l'">2 

Maclean,   Rev.  John  Norma.n    '''A 

McCasIin,   Rev.   David   S.,   U.   D 33 

McClelland,    Rev.    Samuel   B 162 

McGlaug-hiin,    Elder  Jolm   D 182 

McLean.   Elder  George  212 

McMillan.  Rev.  Duncan  J..  D.   D 12:',,  145 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


Page 

MAKAICU    INDIAN    CHURCH,    Chapel  and    Manse    197 

Makay,   Rev.  Mo.ses   196 

Martin,  Ftev.   Albert   B 123 

Mrs.    Mary   E 50 

Matheson,   Elder  John   191 

MELROSE    CHURCH— 

Church   Building  1-1" 

Elders    H" 

Rev.   Hugh  W.   Jones    HT 

Merow,  Elder  Mo.ses   196 

Miles,  Elder  George  M .,.^ 1-13 

Mrs.   Helena  Strevell,   Wife  of  Geo.   M 14.3 

MILEiS   CITY   CHURCH— 

Rev.    Edward   McCullough  Calvin    , 143 

Rev.    Edward  Payson   Linnell    145 

Elders    J.    W.    Strevell    and    Geo.    M.      Miles   143 

Mrs.   J.   W.   Strevell   and  Mrs.   Geo.   M.    Miles      143 

Miner.   Elder  Walter  B 209 

Missionary  Work  Among  the  India.ns   193-203 

MISSOULA   CHURCH— 

Church  Buildings   12i3 

Pastors    125 

The  Session  of  1906  130 

Moore,  Rev.    Samuel   F 20, 

Rev.    Thomas    Verner,    D.   D.    and    ^.'ife    191 

Montgomery,  Elder  J.   Maurice   191 

Murphy,   Elder  J.   Harold   103 

Nash,   Elder  Herbert  Oliver   139 

Mrs.  A.  T.  Williams,  Wife  ot  H.   O  Sy 

Native  Helpers  in   Indian  Churches  196 

Northern    Montana,    Five   Church   Buildings    171 

Notstine,   Prof.   Frank  N 123 

O'Neil,   Elder  Ernest  C 1S2 

Passmore,   Elder  John   W 117 

Patterson,    Elder  Alexander  R 117 

Pfa,us,    Rev.    Albert    174 

The  Philbrook   Chapel   1S9 

PHILIPSBURG  CHURCH— 

Church  Building  127 

Manse    12S 

Rev.  James  B.  Butter  212 

Mrs.  James  B.   Butter   204 

Pioneer   Ministers  in   the   70's 22 

PONY  CHURCH'— 

Church    Building    211 

The  Session  of  1905  211 

POPLAR   CHURCH— 

Chapel    194 

Rev.  Edwin  J.  Lindsev  and  Wife  194 

Pratt,    Elder  Chaiies   H SO 

The  Presbytery  of  Montana  in  1S72 25 

Price,  Mrs.   M.  J.   King  137 

Pringle,   Rev.    Alexander   1S2 

Pyle,  Elder  John  E 2S 

Mrs.    Marga,ret   J.,    Wife    of   John    E S9 

Quickenden,  Rev.   Henry    174 

Raff,   Elder' George   117 

Ramsey,   Rev.    Robert   M lt3S 

Rauch,  Miss  Norma   Ellen   20a 

Rayburn,  Rev.  James  207 

Reat,     Miss    Lois,     (now     Mrs.     Theodore   Brantly)    123 

Reddoor,    Clide 19ij 

Refiar,   Elder  William   G 169 

Reed,   Rev.    Charles   F 212 

Reid,  Rev.    John,   Jr 16S 

Rev.   James,   D.    D 123 

Rich,    Mrs.    Malinda   M.,    Wife   of   Cha.rle.s 50 

Richards,   Rev.   Charles  L 22 

Richardson,  Rev.   Charles   F 145 

Robertson,   Mrs.   Jessie    137 

Rommel.   Rev.   WiLliam   C 22 

Russel,  Rev.  James  R.,  Ph.   D 25 

Russell,   Robert    ' 169 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHI'RCH    IN    MONTANA. 


Page 

The   Rutherford-Walker   Bible    95,96 

Sabbath-School   Missionaj-ies    207 

Sanderson,    Rev.    Joseph   W.,    D.    D 33 

Sharpe,  Elder  Ebenezer  69 

Sloan,  Jlev.   William   N.,    Ph.   D 80 

Smith,  Elder  Alexander,   Sr 57 

Elder  George   T 182 

Rev.    George    Grantham    (11864-66) Frontispiece 

Rev.  George  G.   (of  Helena  Chui'cli  )    22 

Elder  J.  Miller  SO 

Henry  T.  and  Wife  199 

SOUTH  BUTTE   CHURCH,    Buildings   190 

Spencer,   Mrs.  Almon   154 

Stafford,   Mrs.   Allis  E.   Watson    175 

Stancliffe,    Rev.   Thomas  A 211 

Stevenson,  Rev.   Robert  M.,   D.   D 33 

Mrs.   Emma  S.,   Wife  of  Rev.    R.    M 204 

Samuel  169 

STEVENSVIILE    CHURCH,    Building    132 

Steele.  Elder  John  W 212 

Steere.   Elder  Eugene  A 182 

Stites,   Rev.    W.   Scott   69 

Stone,   Elder  Franklin   L 57 

Mrs.    Malvina  L 175 

Strevelle,   Elder  Jason  W.   and   Wife   143 

Street,  Elder  Thornton  A 57 

Superintendents  of   Missions    145 

Sutherland,   Mrs.   Margaret    159 

Sweeney,  Elder  Cha,rles  T.,  M.  D 169 

Swallow,   Elder  George  Clinton   69 

Synodical    Missionary    Society,    Workers   in    204 

Taylor,  Elder  J.   Hopkins   28 

Todd,   Rev.   Thomas  N 139 

Townshend.   Elder  H.  H.,  M.  D 147 

Traphagen.    Pi'of.   Frank  W 123 

Vaughn,  Vlis^  Lena              123 

Wainwright,  Rev.   Louis  L 207 

Walker,  Joseph  C 97 

Mrs.    Abba    Beatrice   Creel.    Wife  of  A.   M 89 

Wa.terman.  Mrs.  Max  154 

Watson,   William   H 174 

Maria  L.,  Wife  of  W.  H 174 

Waters,  Mrs.  John  M 50 

Wharton,  Elder  Jesse  R 117 

Whitehill,    Mrs.    Sarah   B 204 

WHITE   SULPHUR   SPRINGS  CHI'RCH  — 

Chapel    156 

Early  Workers   154,  155 

Rev.  George  Edwards  207 

WHITEFIS'H  CHURCH.   Chapel   171 

WICKES    CHURCH— 

Church   Building   140 

Three  Pastors  and  One  Elder 139 

WlHia,m  W.   Wickes,  Foundej:  of   139 

Wickes,  William    W.,    Founder   of   Wickes   Church    1.39 

Elder  William  Woodbridge    165 

Rev.   Thomas  A 139,162 

Mrs.  Thomas  A 204 

Williams,  Elder  Alexander  T 25 

Mrs.   A.   T 89 

W'illiard,  John  H.,  M.   D.  and  Wife   175 

Willson,    Rev.   Davis   56 

Mrs.    Martha   Van    Allen,    Wife  of  Rev.   Davis    204 

Mrs.    Emma    D 50 

Wilson,  Rev.  Jesse  Craig  1312,  168 

Wishard,    Rev.   Samuel   E.,   D.   D 145 

Wo/lf  Point  Indian  Mission   199 

Woolfolk.    Miss    Lizzie    123 

Wright,   Rev.   Ernest  W 130 

Elder  Richard  H 169 

Wylie,  Elder  William  W 47 

Mrs.    William   W 50 


I  \)e   Presbyterian    UQurcr)    in    Montana. 

By  Eev.  George  Edwards. 

In  the  following  pages  we  shall,  as  far  as  possible,  let  the 
pioneers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  tell  in  their  own  words 
the  part  they  took  in  laying  the  foundations  of  Christianity 
and  morality  in  Montana. 
THE  EARLIEST  PIONEEHS  OF  THE  CHURCHES. 

The  earliest  religious  work  in  Montana  was  done  under 
the  leadership  of  Father  De  Smet,  who  began  work  among 
the  Flathead  Indians  in  1840.  He  was  followed  by  Father 
Ravalli  and  his  associates  in  1844.  They  established  the  St. 
Mary's  Mission  in  the  Bitter  Root  Valley. 

The  earliest  Protestant  missionaries  in  the  Northwest, 
the  Lees  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  1834,  the  Whitmans 
and  Spauldings  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  1835,  went 
beyond  the  present  boundaries  of  Montana  to  labor  among 
the  Indians  of  Oregon,  these  missions  being  the  direct  result 
of  the  search  that  had  been  instituted  by  the  Flathead 
Indians  for  the  great  book  of  the  White  Man. 

In  1857  a  Presbyterian  minister  and  his  wife  came  up  the 
Missouri  River  to  Fort  Benton  for  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  mission  among  the  Indians.  In  July,  1897,  when  Rev. 
Thomas  V.  Moore,  then  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Helena,  was  preparing  his  "Sketch  of  the  Be- 
ginnings of  Presbyterianism  in  Montana,"  he  received  let- 
ters from  two  old-timers  who  lived  in  Montana  in  the  50 's. 
Mr.  Jacob  Schmidt,  then  living  near  Browning,  Teton  Coun- 
ty, wrote: 

"I  knew  the  person  to  whom  you  refer.  He  was  a  Pro- 
testant minister  and  came  up  the  Missouri  River  with  me 
in  1857,  with  his  wife,  as  far  as  Fort  Benton,  to  do  mission- 
ary work. 

"He  did  not  stay  long,  only  about  ten  days,  and  his  wife 


10  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 

got  homesick,  so  they  sold  the  furniture  they  had  and  went 
back  by  Walla  Walla,  Oregon,  as  they  did  not  want  to  take 
any  chances  by  going  back  on  the  Missouri,  as  the  Indians 
were  very  treacherous. 

''He  was  a  man  about  5  feet  6  inches  in  height,  blue  eyes 
and  sandy  mustache.  He  was  a  German,  as  he  talked  with 
me  on  our  trip  and  he  was  a  very  pleasant,  jolly  man.  Every 
one  liked  him  that  met  him.  I  have  forgotten  his  name.  The 
people  who  came  on  the  boat  at  the  same  time  were  Father 
De  Smet,  Mr,  Dawson,  General  Warren,  and  Mr.  Kipp, 
father  of  John  Kipp  of  Blackf oot,  and  the  rest  of  the  people 
were  all  young  and  I  did  not  know  any  of  them." 

I  had  a  talk  with  Mr.  Schmidt  at  Shelby  on  February  26> 
1907,  and  he  confirmed  the  above  statement  in  every  par- 
ticular. Four  days  later,  March  2nd,  Mr.  Schmidt  died  at 
Choteau,  having  lived  in  Northern  Montana  for  fifty-two 
years. 

Mr.  George  Steell  wrote  from  Browning,  Montana: 

''I  have  your  letter  of  July  2nd,  and  would  have  replied 
ere  this,  but  have  been  very  busy  turning  over  my  charge 
here  as  Indian  agent.  In  reply  to  your  inquiries,  I  will 
state  that  I  came  to  Fort  Benton,  August,  1857.  Upon 
reaching  there  I  learned  that  a  Presbyterian  minister  and 
his  wife  had  left  Benton  that  spring,  going  down  the  river. 
In  those  days  I  knew  the  name  of  the  gentleman,  but  can 
not  now  recollect  it.  I  have  had  an  interview  with  Charles 
Chouquette  upon  this  matter.  He  cannot  give  his  name,  no^ 
can  he  say  where  he  came  from.  He  states  that  he  came 
upon  missionary  work,  that  he  was  about  35  years  of  age, 
and  his  wife  was  probably  25  or  26  years  of  age,  that  he 
accomplished  nothing  as  a  missionary. 

'*I  know  this  by  what  I  learned  after  my  arrival.  The 
talk  then  was  that  the  Indians  said  that  he  was  the  same 
as  other  men,  as  he  had  a  wife.  Apparently  up  to  that 
time  they  had  not  come  in  contact  with  any  minister,  having 
only  met  the  Catholic  priests." 

These  letters  from  Jacob  Schmidt  and  George  Steell  are 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


11 


REV.    JONATHAN    BLANCHARD,     D.    D. 
♦Deceased  1892. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


preserved  in  the  archive  box  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Helena  with  other  historical  documents. 

In  an  interview  with  Mrs.  Wilbur  F.  Sanders  about 
the  early  religious  history  of  Montana  she  said  that  in  the 
fall  of  1863,  while  she  and  her  husband  had  their  home  at 
Bannack,  a  Methodist  exhorter  was  preaching  in  that  place, 
using  for  a  meeting  house  an  octagonal  block-house,  built 
for  protection  against  the  Indians. 

During  the  year  1864,  we  find  four  regularly  ordained 
Protestant  ministers  in  the  mining  camps  of  Montana.  There 
may,  of  course,  have  been  others  whose  work  has  not  come 
to  the  attention  of  the  writer. 

Rev.  Jonathan  Blanchard,  D.  D.,  president  of  Wheaton 
College,  Illinois,  accompanied  by  his  son,  Charles  A.  Blan- 
chard, visited  Virginia  City  early  in  the  summer  of  1864. 
Letters  received  from  Rev.  Charles  A,  Blanchard,  D.  D,, 
in  1897,  then  having  succeeded  his  father  as  president  of 
Wheaton  College,  give  the  following  account  of  this  trip. 
The  letters  are  in  the  archive  box  of  the  Helena  Church: 

"In  1864,  my  father.  Rev.  President  Blanchard,  of  Whea- 
ton College,  Illinois,  being  broken  in  health,  visited  Mon- 
tana, going  by  wagon  via  Omaha,  Kearney  and  Bridger's 
Cut-off.  He  returned  via  Salt  Lake  and  Denver,  preaching 
in  all  places  where  opportunity  offered. 

''He  was  at  the  time  a  Congregational  minister.  He  be- 
gan his  ministry  in  the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church,  Cincin- 
nati, preaching  there  nine  years,  leaving  to  become  presi- 
dent of  Knox  College,  Illinois,  in  1846. 

"I  was  with  him  on  that  trip  and  attended  the  meetings 
which  he  held  in  the  rough  board  court  house  at  Virginia 
City.  He  took  the  trip  chiefly  for  his  health,  though  he  had 
a  commission  from  the  American  Missionary  Association  to 
explore  mountain  regions  and  report  to  the  society.  In 
pursuance  of  his  report  the  First  Congregational  Churches 
of  Denver  and  Salt  Lake  City  were  organized.  At  the  time 
we  were  in  Virginia  City  there  was  no  church  of  any  kind 
and  no  religious  services  regularly  held.  We  met  in  the  court 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA.  13 

liouse  and  had  a  little  company  gathered  while  the  streets 
were  crowded  with  thousands  of  men,  the  gambling  shops, 
saloons,  and  auctioneers  doing  their  work  on  every  hand. 
We  did  not  remain  in  Virginia  City  long,  perhaps  two  or 
three  weeks.  My  father,  I  think,  preached  every  Sabbath 
while  there.  We  then  left  by  wagon  over  the  mountains  for 
Salt  Lake  City." 

Permanent  work  was  not  undertaken  by  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  Montana  until  18  years  later  in  1882. 

Mrs.  W.  F.  Sanders  relates  that  when  they  moved  to 
Virginia  City  in  February,  1864,  Rev.  A.  M.  Torbet  of 
the  Baptist  Church  was  the  only  minister  in  the  mining 
camp.  He  is  described  as  a  fine  Christian  gentleman,  about 
55  years  of  age,  and  a  regularly  ordained  minister,  though 
probably  not  working  under  any  mission  board.  Mr.  Tor- 
bet  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  Jim  Slade,  at  the  re- 
quest of  his  wife,  when  he  was  hung  by  the  Vigilantes  of 
Virginia  City.  He  opened  his  discourse  by  saying:  "I 
have  preached  the  gospel  for  thirty  years  and  have  never 
been  accustomed  in  a  funeral  discourse  to  refer  to  the  life 
of  the  deceased.  I  shall  not  depart  from  that  rule  at  this 
time. ' ' 

Information  as  to  the  work  of  the  other  two  Protestant 
ministers  of  1864,  Rev.  George  Grantham  Smith,  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  Rev.  A.  M.  Hough,  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  is  much  more  abundant.  The  Mon- 
tana Post  of  October  29,  1864,  says:  ''We  are  happy  to 
notice  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Hough,  who  will,  we  understand,, 
make  his  home  among  us."  This  fixes  the  date  of  Mr. 
Hough's  arrival. 

REV.  GEORGE  GRANTHAM  SJ^LITH.  THE  PIONEEK 
PRESBYTERIAN  HOME  MISSIONARY  IN 
MONTANA. 
Rev.  George  G.  Smith  arrived  at  Bannack  in  June,  1864, 
and  labored  principally  at  Bannack  and  Virginia  City  dur- 
ing the  two  years  following.    Rev.  Thomas  V.  Moore,  D.  D., 


14  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

in  his  ''Sketch  of  the  Beginning  of  Presbyterianism  in 
Montana"  writes: 

''The  work  of  Rev.  George  Grantham  Smith  marks  the 
real  beginning  of  Presbyterian  Missions  in  Montana,  Mr. 
Smith,  a  member  of  the  Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia, 
a  graduate  of  Princeton  College  and  Auburn  Theological 
Seminary,  was  sent  out  by  the  Presbyterian  Committee  of 
Home  Missions  (New  School)  of  which  Dr.  Kendall  was 
then  secretary,  as  the  first  regularly  commissioned  Protes- 
tant missionary  for  Montana.  Mr.  Smith  intended  to  go  to 
Gaboon,  Africa,  but  finding  that  it  was  easier  for  the  Board 
to  get  missionaries  for  West  Africa  than  for  Montana,  he 
chose  the  latter  field." 

Under  date  of  March  3,  1902,  Eev.  P.  H.  Brooks,  D.  D., 
stated  clerk  of  Lackawanna  Presbytery  and  who  prepared 
the  obituary  of  Mr.  Smith  for  the  Necrological  Record 
Book  of  that  Presbytery,  furnished  the  following  facts  in 
reference  to  Mr.  Smith's  life  and  work: 

"Rev.  George  Grantham  Smith  was  born  January  31, 
1833,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  was  graduated  from  Prince- 
ton College,  N,  J.,  in  1861,  and  very  soon  after  was  licensed 
Iby  the  Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  and  was  at  once 
appointed  and  served  as  a  chaplain  for  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic.  On  his  return  from  this  service  he  entered 
Auburn  Theological  Seminary.  He  was  ordained  by  the 
Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  in  May,  1864,  and  went 
out  at  once  under  the  commission  of  the  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Home  Missions  as  our  Presbyterian  missionary  to  Mon- 
tana. 

' '  In  1866,  on  his  return  to  the  east  he  married  Miss  Amia 
|M.  Swift,  on  the  9th  day  of  August,  in  Methuchen,  N.  J., 
and  in  that  year  began  his  work  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  preaching 
in  a  mission  chapel,  supported  by  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church.  After  the  first  year  the  mission  was  organized  into 
a  church.  He  remained  in  Buffalo  about  six  years.  After 
this  he  served  two  other  churches.  He  came  into  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Lackawanna  in  November,  1884,  and  said:     'If 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  15 

you  have  any  fields  where  the  work  is  most  difficult,  send 
me  there.'  He  labored  in  Bowman's  Creek  Church  and 
Lehman  about  four  years.  Tn  October  he  began  his  work 
in  the  Newton  Church.  Tn  1894,  on  this  field  the  Bethel 
Church  was  organized.  After  eight  years  on  these  fields  of 
abounding  labors  he  closed  his  active  ministry  and  retired 
to  Clark's  Summit,  Pa.,  where  he  lived  about  two  years 
and  after  a  lingering  illness  of  paralysis  passed  peacefully 
away,  November  30,  1898.  His  wife  and  two  children 
mourn  his  loss." 

We  will  let  Mr.  Smith  tell  his  own  story  of  missionary 
life  in  Montana  in  the  sixties  in  the  following  extracts  from 
letters  written  to  Kev.  Thomas  V.  Moore,  D.  D.,  in  1897.  He 
writes : 

"I  reached  Bannack  in  June,  1864.  My  work  in  Mon- 
tana was  confined  to  Bannack,  Virginia  City  and  adjoining 
camps  and  ranches.  There  was  no  Presbytery,  no  church, 
no  Sabbath  when  I  entered  Montana.  It  was  hard  'pros- 
pecting' in  those  days. 

'*I  was  sent  out  as  an  exploring  missionary  to  look  over 
the  entire  field  and  preach  at  as  many  points  as  possible, 
report  the  needs  of  the  field  and  prepare  the  way  for  other 
men  to  follow.  I  took  the  stage  at  Atchison,  Kansas.  Was 
allowed  only  30  pounds  of  baggage  on  the  coach.  Had  to 
leave  my  trunk  to  come  by  freight,  which  reached  me  eigh- 
teen months  after  arrival.  So  that  I  was  in  my  first  parish 
for  eighteen  months  with  no  book  save  my  small  English 
Bible  without  note  or  comment;  and  I  had  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  wide-a-wake  congregation  I  have  ever  ministered 
unto. 

' '  On  my  arrival  at  Montana  I  soon  learned  that  mj^  $1200 
legal  tender  would  secure  me  but  twelve  weeks'  board  in- 
stead of  twelve  months.'  I  was  a  young  man,  an  entire 
stranger,  no  letters  of  introduction  to  a  living  soul.  I 
created  a  storm  of  applause  (or  something  else)  by  un- 
loading an  umbrella.  It  never  rained  in  that  country  in 
those     days,    and     'tenderfoot!'     and     'pilgrim!'     were 


16  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


shouted  in  all  directions;  and  above  all,  I  had  on  a  'biled' 
shirt,  and  everything  to  correspond.  I  was  assigned  to 
private  apartments  at  the  leading  hotel  in  Bannack  City, 
in  the  ofifice,  with  bar,  gambling  table,  gamblers,  and  high- 
waymen, every  man  clothed  in  buckskin  and  adorned  with 
a  pair  of  navy  revolvers  and  bowie  knife  in  the  bootleg  and 
Mexican  spurs  and  dangles  on  the  heel.  My  bed  was  the 
boardless  floor  of  this  public  office,  and  bed  clothing  my 
blankets.  This  was  the  introduction  to  a  life  of  strange 
vicissitudes  and  marvelous  experiences.  In  some  respects 
T  was  the  most  unfitted  man  in  the  world  for  such  a  life.  I 
had  seen  little  of  the  world,  was  simple-hearted  and  true 
and  believed  everybody  the  same;  had  a  very  poor  opinion 
of  myself  and  unbounded  confidence  in  everybody  else. 

''I  began  my  work  in  Bannack,  then  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, the  home  of  the  governor  and  the  territorial  officers, 
especially  the  ''road  agents."  Virginia  City  had  even  then 
come  to  the  front,  and  was  rapidly  depleting  Bannack,  and 
before  the  year  had  run,  Bannack  was  well  nigh  deserted. 
I  was  obliged  to  retire  from  the  high  places  and  sumptuous 
fare  of  'swine  belly'  and  'hot  doe'  and  seek  more  lowly 
quarters  and  humbler  fare.  I  rented  a  log  cabin  12x18 
(feet)  with  one  window,  a  pane  of  glass  10x12  (inches).  A 
store  box  was  table,  cupboard  and  study  desk  and  smaller 
boxes  were  chairs  and  conveniences  for  storing  my  much 
goods  and  valuables  laid  up  for  many  days.  I  paid  $28  in 
my  money  for  coarse  factory  sufficient  to  make  a  bed  tick 
and  pillow,  which  I  filled  with  dried  grass  for  a  bed  for 
myself  and  the  mice  that  would  steal  a  march  on  me  and 
insist  on  bunking  in  with  me.  T  did  my  own  cooking,  wash- 
ing, ironing  and  mending,  I  was  host,  hostess,  servant, 
guest,  and  got  along  magnificently  until  the  fall  when  spec- 
ulators laid  hands  on  all  the  flour  in  the  country  and  s<^t 
the  price  at  $1.00  a  pound  in  gold  or  $2.50  in  my  money, 
or  $500  per  barrel.  Then  T  had  to  become  'Big  Injun'  and 
live  on  'meat  straight.'  Had  a  tremendous  longing  after 
the  leeks  and  onions  of  America.    Just  then  I  sat  down  to 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IX   MONTANA.  17 


the  banquet  of  my  life.  A  neighboring  miner  had  some- 
where secured  a  few  pounds  of  corn  meal  and  invited  me  to 
share  a  corn  cake  with  him.  On  my  arrival  I  paid  $2.U() 
in  my  money  for  the  washing  of  a  linen  duster.  The  gar- 
ment cost  me  $1.00  in  the  states.  I  began  preaching  in  an 
empty  storeroom,  organized  a  Sunday  School  and  com- 
menced regular  Sabbath  services  with  good  and  attractive 
audiences. 

'*!  soon  ran  over  to  Virginia  City  to  look  over  the  ground 
and  report  to  the  Home  Board,  at  New  York.  I  was  en- 
tertained at  Col.  Sanders'.  I  secured  a  room  for  Sabbath 
services  and  posted  up  notices  around  in  public  places.  At 
the  postofiice  I  got  into  an  obscure  corner  to  see  what  im- 
pression the  announcement  would  make  on  the  crowd.  One 
fellow  read  it  and  shouted.  The  crowd  gathered  and  he 
read  it  again,  aloud,  and  they  all  shouted.  They  wanted  to 
know  what  a  preacher  was,  what  his  business,  and  what 
was  a  Presbyterian  preacher.  Some  fellow,  evidently  an 
oracle  among  them,  explained,  and  said  they  were  a  religious 
sect  and  very  high-toned.  Another  fellow  said  they  were 
blue  Presbyterians  and  he  would  bet  the  preacher  had  a 
blue  stripe  down  his  back.  They  proposed  to  catch  him  and 
see.  Some  one  exclaimed,  if  he  had  been  a  Methodist  ex- 
fhauster  he  would  not  have  been  surprised,  but  a  regular 
starched  Presbyterian  in  that  country  was  an  anomaly,  and 
Barnum  ought  to  have  him,  and  concluded  by  saying: 
'Let's  all  go  around  and  hear  the  animal.'  At  that  day 
Sunday  was  the  big  day.  Everybody  was  in  town.  Bedlam 
was  let  loose.  Business  and  sin  were  at  their  very  worst. 
Next  door  to  my  preaching  apartment  was  a  large  gambling 
hall  with  full  band  of  brass,  and  my  preaching  that  day 
was  certainly  attended  with  much  sounding  brass  and  tin- 
kling cymbals.  In  the  midst  of  my  sermon  the  band  struck 
up  a  lively  dance  tune  and  the  hob-nailed  miners  began  to 
beat  time  with  their  feet  upon  the  bare  floor.  I  was  com- 
pletely thrown  out,  and  stopped  and  folded  my  arms.  Just 
then  the  ringleader,  a  long,  lank,  lean  fellow  in  buckskins, 


IS  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN  MONTANA. 

called  out,  'Boys,  never  mind  the  mnsic.  The  elder  has  the 
floor.  You  listen  to  him.  Elder,  go  on.  You  shall  not  be 
disturbed  again.'  And  I  was  not.  I  was  patiently  listened 
to  until  I  said  Amen.  My  text  was  I  Timothy  4 :8, '  Godliness 
is  profitable  unto  all  things.'  I  made  it  eminently  prac- 
tical and  tried  to  show  them  whatever  good  and  profitable 
was  in  anything,  was  in  godliness.  Still  my  subject  was 
scarcely  grave  enough  to  keep  me  from  laughing  when  I 
dismissed  the  congregation,  for  the  seats  of  the  pants  of 
those  men,  who  had  not  laid  aside  their  American  trousers 
and  come  into  the  full-fledged  native  buckskin,  were  patched 
with  all  the  varied  brands  from  flour  sacks,  such  as  '  Super- 
fine,' 'I.  X.  L.,'  'Superior,'  'Excelsior'  or  'Gilt  Edge.' 

"One  day  I  said  to  one  of  the  'vigilantes,'  as  I  supposed, 
^Are  you  not  afraid  of  hanging  some  one  unjustly  by  hang- 
ing men  so  unceremoniously,  without  judge  or  jury.'  His 
answer  was:  'Do  you  suppose  it  is  possible  to  hang  any 
man  unjustly  in  this  country  1 '  They  even  suspected  me  of 
being  a  highwayman — a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing.  I  was 
told  that  a  detective  was  at  my  heels  day  and  night  for 
six  months;  and  had  I  done  anything  derogatory  to  the 
character  of  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  I  would  have  been 
strung  up. 

"There  were  no  regular  preachers  in  my  day  save  the 
M.  E.  man  at  Virginia  City.  I  think  he  did  not  come  till 
'65.  I  did  not  organize  as  I  did  not  expect  to  remain  longer 
than  two  years,  and  the  expense  of  reaching  the  field  and 
living  when  there  was  more  than  any  Board  could  sustain. 
It  cost  me  $425  stage  fare  from  the  Missouri  River  to  Ban- 
nack;  $500  to  Virginia  City,  and  $5,000  was  as  little  as  a 
man  could  live  on  there.  I  organized  the  first  public  schools. 
There  were  no  schools  when  I  reached  there  and  many 
children.  I  took  the  first  census  of  the  place  and  reported 
the  number  of  schoolable  children  and  organized  schools 
for  them,  opened  Sunday  Schools,  and  prayer  meeting, 
married  and  buried  the  people,  and  was  instrumental  in 
closing  all  business  on  the  Sabbath.    I  left  Montana  in  1866, 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


passed  through  Helena  on  the  way  to  Fort  Benton,  and 
down  the  Missouri  to  the  states." 

EARLY  ORGANIZATION. 

In  the  year  1897  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Helena 
celebrated  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  i^s  organization. 
On  that  occasion  Rev.  Thomas  Yerner  Moore,  D.  D.,  who 
had  been  pastor  of  the  church  since  April  6,  1883,  dehvered 
an  address  on  ''The  History  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Helena  and  the  Beginning  of  Presbyterianism  in 
Montana."  The  address  was  issued  in  pamphlet  form  the 
following  year.  We  quote  from  Mr.  Moore's  address  con- 
densing where  possible : 

"No  permanent  results  of  a  visible  nature  remained  of 
the  labors  of  the  first  preachers.  The  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson, 
D.  D.,  is  the  father  of  organized  and  permanent  Presby- 
terianism in  Montana.  April  29th,  1869,  he  was  appoint- 
ed Superintendent  of  Missions  for  the  Western  Territories. 
His  field  embraced  the  vast  region  included  in  Western 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  Dakota,  ]\rontana,  Wyoming,  Utah  and 
Colorado.  For  the  first  year  he  raised  the  money  for  his 
own  salary  and  expenses,  and  in  part  also  for  those  of 
several  missionaries  placed  by  him  in  the  field. 

''It  was  during  this  year,  in  July,  1869,  three  years  having 
elapsed  since  Mr.  Smith  left  Bannack  for  the  states,  that  Mr. 
Jackson  arrived  in  Helena.  On  August  1st,  1869,  he  gath- 
ered twelve  persons  here  to  organize  a  Presbyterian  church. 
It  was,  indeed,  a  lonely  little  flock.  There  was  not  another 
church  (except  Indian  Missions)  of  the  same  denomination 
in  a  region  stretching  westward  to  Portland,  Oregon,  south- 
ward to  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  eastward  to  the  churches  of 
(Minnesota,  and  northward  to  the  pole.  Dr.  Jackson  wrote 
at  the  time  that  there  was  not  another  Presbyterian  Church 
within  a  thousand  miles   of  it. 

"The  members  of  this  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Mon- 
tana were:  Mrs.  James  I..  Fisk,  Mrs.  John  R.  Deal.  Mrs. 
James  King,  Mrs.  Annie  E.  Cuthbert,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Woolfolk, 
Mrs.  P.  H."  Ray,  Mrs.  T.  H.  Kleinschmidt,  :\[rs.  Elizabeth 


THE   PRESBVTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


REV.    SHELDON   JACKSON,    D.    D. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


O'Connell,  Mrs.  Lucy  Watson,  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Williams,  Mrs. 
West  Travis  and  J.  E.  Witherspoon — eleven  women  and 
one  man. 

"No  man  was  found  to  act  as  ruling  elder,  yet  this  was 
the  real  beginning  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hel- 
ena and  of  Presbyterianism  in  Montana.  The  reason  that 
it  did  not  continue  steadily  forward  from  that  day  was  a 
failure  to  obtain  a  minister.  This  failure  was  doubtless  due 
ultimately  to  the  divided  state  of  the  church  at  that  time, 
not  only  the  Old  School  and  New  School  branches,  but  the 
schism  into  North  and  South  caused  by  the  civil  war. 

''In  1872,  Mr.  Jackson  again  sought  his  scattered  sheep. 
In  the  meantime  great  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  states. 
On  Friday,  November  2,  1869,  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  the 
Old  and  New  School  branches  of  the  Church  were  joined 
together  in  one  reunited  body  of  more  than  446,000  com- 
municants. This  union  of  forces  brought  with  it  great 
quickening  of  the  life  and  energies  of  the  whole  Church. 
Within  the  next  twenty-five  years  the  reunited  Church 
more  than  doubled  its  size  and  strength.  One  of  the  chief 
objects  of  the  union  was  a  more  aggressive  home  mission- 
ary work.  When,  therefore,  Mr.  Jackson  returned  to  Mon- 
tana, in  May,  1872,  four  ministers  had  been  found  to  come 
here,  three  young  men,  the  Eev.  James  R.  Russel,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam S.  Frackleton,  and  Rev.  William  C.  Rommel  and  one 
older  man.  Rev.  Lyman  B.  Crittenden,  all  of  them  Prince- 
ton Seminary  men.  They  were  authorized  by  the  General 
Assembly  of  that  year  to  plant,  not  a  church  only,  but  a 
Presbytery  in  Montana.  Mr.  Rommel  and  Mr.  Crittenden 
did  not  arrive  until  the  autumn  of  this  year.  The  other 
two  with  the  indefatigable  Mr.  Sheldon  Jackson,  proceeded 
to  organize  churches;  in  Gallatin  City,  May  30,  1872;  Boze- 
man,  June  2;  Hamilton,  (Gallatin  Valley).  June  3;  Virginia 
City,  June  5 ;  Deer  Lodge,  June  9 ;  Missoula,  June  12 ;  and 
Helena,  June  15 — seven  churches  in  sixteen  days.  Of  these 
Bozeman,  Hamilton,  Deer  Lodge  and  Helena  remain  to 
this  dav." 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA 


PIONEER  MINISTEKS  OF  THE  SEVENTIES. 
1      Rev.  Charles  L.  Richards.  Bozeinan.  4.     Rev.    George    G.    Smith,    Helena. 

2.  Rev.    William    C.    Rommel.    Helena.  5.     Rev.    Milton    L.    Cook,    Missoula. 

3.  Rev.  John  D.  Hewitt,  D.   D.,*  Hel-  *Deceased   April  20,   1898. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  ?3 

The  present  church  at  Missoula  was  organized  on  April 
12,  1876,  by  Rev.  James  E.  Russel,  with  ten  members,  and 
Mr.  Ferd  Kennett  was  ordained  as  elder. 

Of  the  four  ministers  who  came  to  Montana  in  1872  only 
the  name  of  Rev.  James  R.  Russel  remains  on  the  roll  of 
Montana  Presbyterian  ministers.  For  several  years  his 
residence  has  been  in  Butte,  Montana.  Rev.  William  C. 
Rommel  resides  at  Cornwall,  N.  Y.  Father  Crittenden,  af- 
ter several  years  of  faithful  service  as  pastor  and  educator 
in  Gallatin  Valley,  passed  away  June  12,  1892.  We  can- 
not follow  Mr.  Frackleton;  several  years  ago  he  was  re- 
ported to  be  in  Australia.  Both  Mr.  Russel  and  Mr.  Rommel 
have  kindly  furnished  material  for  this  narrative  of  pioneer 
work. 

CHURCH  WORK  IN  MONTANA  IN  1872. 

(The  following  is  a  part  of  an  interesting  paper  prepared 
by  Rev.  James  R.  Russel  about  the  year  1880.) 

To  the  Methodists  belongs  the  honor  of  being  the  first 
Protestant  body  to  begin  sustained  Christian  work  in  Mon- 
tana. A  minister  was  sent  in  1864,  soon  after  the  organiza- 
tion of  Montana  as  a  Territory,  to  Virginia  City.  He  was 
soon  followed  b}^  others  who  were  sent  to  Helena  and  Dia- 
mond City.  In  June,  1864,  Rev.  George  G.  Smith,  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  arrived  in  Montana,  and  preached  in 
Bannack,  Virginia  City  and  adjoining  camps.  Mr.  Smith 
left  Montana  in  1866,  preaching  as  he  passed  through  the 
Territory  at  Helena  and  Fort  Benton. 

Quite  a  number  of  Presbyterians  had  come  out  to  Mon- 
tana but  nothing  had  been  done  toward  organizing  a  church 
until,  in  1869,  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  then  Superintendent 
of  Presbyterian  Missions,  on  invitation  of  a  number  of 
Presbyterians,  visited  Helena.  He  called  a  meeting  of  those 
that  favored  the  organization  of  that  church  in  Helena  and 
about  thirty  gave  their  names  towards  joining  and  sustain- 
ing a  church,  provided  he  would  send  them  a  minister.  A^^ien 
Mr.  Jackson  returned  to  the  states  he  tried  to  secure  the 
services  of  several  ministers  for  work  in  Montana,  but  for 


THE  PRESBTTEKIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


one  and  another  reason,  those  who  promised  to  come  were 
providentially  detained  at  home,  or  sent  to  other  fields  that 
seemed  more  accessible  than  this. 

It  was  not  until  February  of  1872  that  the  promise  of  one 
who  could  and  would  come  was  obtained.  Mr.  James  R. 
Eussel  on  arriving  in  Denver,  at  that  time,  was  asked  by 
Mr.  Jackson  to  come  out  to  Helena  and  at  once  agreed  to 
come.  At  the  request  of  Mr,  Jackson,  Mr.  Russel  then  re- 
mained in  Colorado  until  Mr.  Jackson  could  go  back  to 
the  states  and  secure  other  ministers  also  for  Montana.  He 
succeeded  in  getting  Rev.  William  C.  Rommel  and  Rev. 
William  S.  Frackleton  to  promise  to  come  in  May,  1872. 
Messrs.  Frackleton  and  Russel  were  ordained  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Colorado  in  Denver  and  the  next  day  after  their 
ordination  set  out  with  Mr.  Jackson  for  Montana. 

The  Presbytery  of  Montana  was  organized  at  Helena, 
June  17,  1872,  in  accordance  with  an  order  of  the  General 
Assembly  held  in  Detroit  that  year.  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson, 
Rev.  James  R.  Russel,  Rev.  William  S.  Frackleton  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Colorado,  Rev.  Josiah  Welch  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Wyoming,  Rev.  L^mian  B.  Crittenden  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Pittsburgh,  and  Rev.  William  C.  Rommel  of  the 
Presbyters^  of  Elizabeth,  togetJier  with  the  Presbyterian 
churches  of  Montana  and  Utah  were  by  that  order  to  con- 
stitute the  Presbytery  of  jMontana. 

Messrs.  Jackson,  Frackleton  and  Russel  met  in  Helena, 
June  17,  1872.  Mr.  Jackson  preached  in  the  court  house  to 
a  large  audience.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon  Mr.  Jackson 
called  the  Presbytery  of  Montana  to  order  and  opened  it 
with  prayer.  A  recess  was  taken  until  morning.  It  would 
perhaps  be  interesting  to  some  to  know  what  was  done  at 
that  meeting,  and  a  brief  synopsis  of  the  proceedings  might 
not  be  out  of  place.  The  next  morning  the  Presbytery  met 
in  Mr.  Russel 's  room  in  the  International  hotel  and  was 
opened  with  prayer.  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson  was  chosen 
Moderator,  Rev.  James  R.  Russel,  Stated  Clerk.  Mr.  Jack- 
son reported  that  he  had  organized  seven  churches,  as  fol- 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE    PRESBYTERY    OF    MONTANA,    1872. 

1.  Rev.    Sheldon    Jackson,    D.    D.  3.     Rev.    William    S.    Frackleton. 

2.  Rev.  James  R.   Russel,   Ph.  D.  4.     Elder  Alexander  T.  Williams,* 

♦Deceased  Januar>-,  1877. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


lows:  Gallatin  City,  Bozeman,  Hamilton  (Gallatin  Valley), 
Virginia  City,  Deer  Lodge,  Missoula  and  Helena.  On  mo- 
tion these  churches  were  enrolled.  Mr.  A.  T.  Williams 
was  enrolled  as  the  elder  representing  the  Helena  church. 
Standing  committees  were  appointed  on  Home  Missions, 
Church  Erection,  Publication  and  Education.  Much  con- 
versation, it  would  hardly  be  called  discussion,  was  had  on 
the  work  to  do  and  how  it  would  best  be  done.  It  was  finally 
settled  that  Mr.  Frackleton  should  work  in  what  was  then 
the  eastern  part  of  the  settled  portion  of  Montana  with 
Bozeman  as  headquarters,  and  Mr.  Russel  should  take  the 
western  part  of  Montana  until  help  could  be  obtained  and 
the  field  divided. 

In  the  latter  part  of  September,  1872,  Rev.  William  C. 
Rommel  and  Rev.  Lyman  B.  Crittenden  with  his  family 
came  to  Montana.  Mr.  Crittenden  settled  in  Bozeman  and 
with  his  daughter  opened  a  select  school,  preaching,  as  he 
had  strength  and  opportunity,  in  Bozeman  and  several  set- 
tlements in  Gallatin  Valley.  Mr.  Rommel  settled  in  Helena, 
where  the  work  under  Mr.  Russel  had  made  good  progress 
and  where  steps  had  been  taken  to  begin  the  erection  of  a 
house  of  worship.  Mr.  Russel  then  moved  over  to  Deer 
Lodge. 

At  this  time  in  Helena,  the  Methodist  Church  had  a  house 
of  worship  completed.  The  Methodist  Church,  South,  had 
a  house  so  far  completed  that  they  could  hold  services  in  it. 
The  Catholics  had  a  church  building.  The  Episcopalians 
had  a  strong  organization.  The  Baptists  had  a  brilliant  min- 
ister, Rev.  L.  B.  Woolfolk,  who  di\ided  his  time  with  Deer 
Lodge.  The  Disciples  held  services  every  Sabbath,  but  had 
about  that  time  no  regular  minister.  The  Methodists,  both 
North  and  South,  were  making  efforts  to  obtain  a  foothold 
in  Deer  Lodge.  The  Episcopalians  had  a  minister  and  a 
good  membership  there,  but  no  house  of  worsliip.  The  Cath- 
olics had  a  church  building. 

In  Bozeman,  the  Methodists  had  a  church  building  and 
a  strong  membership.  The  Episcopalians  had  an  organi- 
zation, but  no  church  building  and  no  minister. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  27 

In  Missoula,  the  Methodists,  North  and  South,  had 
organizations  and  resident  ministers.  The  North  Metho- 
dists had  a  chnrch  bnildmg  in  process  of  erection.  The 
Catholics  had  a  school. 

At  Hamilton,  in  Gallatin  Valley,  and  at  Gallatin  City 
the  two  Methodist  denominations  were  both  represented 
with  memberships  that  numbered  four  or  five  to  each  church 
in  each  place. 

This  was  the  religious  outlook  when  the  Presbyterians 
entered  Montana.  The  Congregationalists  did  not  enter 
the  Territory  until  1882,  when  Rev.  D.  A.  Leonard,  Super- 
intendent of  Congregational  Missions  in  Utah,  and  Super- 
intendent Simmons  of  Dakota,  both  entered  about  the  same 
time. 

The  Baptists  came  to  Montana  to  stay  and  organize  their 
work  about  the  same  time  as  the  Congregationalists.  They 
have  sent  some  excellent  men  to  this  field. 

The  second  annual  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Montana 
was  held  in  Bozeman,  in  February,  1873.  Messrs.  Critten- 
den, Frackleton,  Rommel  and  Russel  were  the  ministers 
present.  Elders  J.  J.  Davidson,  J.  H.  Taylor  and  D.  B. 
Sturgis  represented  the  churches  of  Hamilton,  Bozeman 
and  Willow  Creek.  The  latter  was  a  church  organized  in 
the  fall  of  1872  by  Mr.  Frackleton,  and  its  history  is  short. 
In  less  than  a  year  the  elder  moved  away  to  take  a  course 
in  the  theological  seminary  and  the  other  members,  six  in 
number,  soon  after  moved  to  other  places. 

Messrs.  Rommel  and  Russel  came  to  the  Presbytery  by 
coach,  the  thermometer  ranging  as  low  as  40  degrees  below 
zero.  The  nisrht  of  their  arrival  in  Bozeman  the  weather 
moderated  and  a,  deep  snow  fell.  This  was  a  royal  oppor- 
tunity for  the  church  at  Bozeman,  and  most  hospital^ly  did 
they  improve  it.  The  meeting  was  held  in  what  was  called 
the  Union  Church  (Methodist  Church).  The  members  were 
taken  to  and  from  the  church  in  sleighs  and  at  the  night 
service  sleighs  were  provided  for  the  entire  congregation. 
At  this  meeting  the  work  was  again  thoroughly  discussed. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


ELDERS   ORDAINED   IN   THE   SEVENTIES 

^  *Deceased  March  21,  lyui- 

1.  J.    Hopkins    Taylor.*    Bozeman.  **Deceased  Sept.   18.   1879. 

2.  John    E.    Pyle.**    H^^^::'^^          j^^,^  ^-Deceased  Sept.   18.  1902. 

3.  Joseph   J.    D-^-'-^^^"-*  *  .^ir^e^ena  --Deceased  April  29.  1907. 

4.  Hon.    Cornelius   Hedges.****  Helena 

5.  Ferd    Kennett.    Missoula. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  29 

A  Superintendent  of  Missions  was  asked  from  the  Board  of 
Home  Missions  in  order  that  he  might  prepare  new  fields 
and  obtain  ministers  for  them. 

THE  HISTORY  OE'  THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH  OF  BOZEMAN. 

This  church,  organized  June  2,  1872,  celebrated  the  twen- 
ty-fifth anniversary  of  that  event  on  Sunday,  May  30,  1897. 
In  order  to  have  a  suitable  celebration  of  the  anniversary 
committees  had  been  appointed  on  correspondence,  arrange- 
ments, music,  decoration,  historical  sketch,  entertainment 
and  a  booklet,  which  should  give  a  report  of  the  proceed- 
ings. It  is  from  this  beautiful,  illustrated  booklet  of  92 
pages  that  we  gather  the  history  of  this  church,  appropri- 
ating what  is  most  suitable  to  our  purpose  and  omitting 
anything  that  would  cause  repetition.  At  the  morning 
service  a  "Historical  Sketch"  was  read  by  Mr.  Peter  Koch^ 
and  Rev.  Davis  Willson  preached  an  appropriate  sermon 
from  the  text  Psalm  48:12-14.  In  the  evening  the  pastor, 
Rev.  John  Norman  Maclean,  preached  from  the  text  Exodus 
14:15,  and  letters  of  greeting  from  former  pastors  and 
other  friends  were  read  by  elders  Edward  M.  Gardner  and 
Wilham  W.  Wylie. 

HISTORICAL  ADDRESS   ON  THE   FIRST   PRESBY- 
TERIAN CHURCH  OF  BOZEMAN. 
(By  Elder  Peter  Koch.) 

Twenty-five  years  ago  there  was  no  organized  Presbyter- 
ian church  within  the  limits  of  the  then  Territory  of  Mon- 
tana, though  Presbyterian  ministers  had  done  pioneer  mis- 
sionary work  in  the  Territory. 

On  June  2,  1872,  the  Bozeman  church  was  organized, 
making  it  the  oldest  existing  Presbyterian  church  within 
the  bounds  of  the  State  of  Montana. 

The  organization  was  effected  by  Revs.  Sheldon  Jackson 
and  William  S.  Frackleton.  Mr.  Frackleton  came  on  May 
28th  and  was  joined  by  Mr.  Jackson  on  May  31st.  On  Sun- 
day, June  2d,  service  was  held  in  the  old  building  of  the 
Methodist  church,  standing  on  Main  street  about  where  Mr. 


30  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 

Hanly's  tin-shop  now  is,  anrl  as  the  record  reads:  "After 
preaching  by  Mr.  Jackson,  the  following  persons  at  their 
own  request  were  organized  into  'The  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Bozeman,  Montana:' 

J.  H.  Taylor,  from  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Canton, 
N.  Y. ;  Mrs.  Melinda  Rich,  from  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  Canton,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Alice  Leonard,  from  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Canton,  N,  Y. ;  Mrs.  Emma  Willson,  from 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Mrs.  Mary 
E.  Perkins,  from  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Onarga,  111. ; 
Mary  J.  Davis,  on  profession  of  faith  and  baptism;  John 
Craig,  from  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y.  Mr.  J.  H.  Taylor  was  elected,  ordained  and  installed 
ruling  elder  for  one  year.  (This  was  the  first  Presbyterian 
-elder  installed  in  Montana.)  The  first  minister  was  Rev. 
lYilliam  S.  Frackleton." 

Of  these  seven  charter  members  of  our  church  four  are 
still  at  the  head  of  our  membership  list :  Mr.  J.  H.  Taylor, 
Mrs.  M.  M.  Rich,  Mrs.  Emma  Willson  and  Mrs.  M.  E.  Per- 
kins. Miss  Alice  Leonard,  now  Mrs.  Langhorne,  has  moved 
to  Helena;  John  Craig  died  in  the  harness  as  an  active  of- 
ficer of  the  church ;  one  has  drifted  away. 

The  history  of  our  church  during  these  twenty-five  years 
divides  itself  naturally  into  three  periods. 

1.  The  first  period  lasted  from  1872  to  1877.  It  was  a 
day  of  small  things,  a  mere  "holding  the  fort,"  as  Mr. 
Richards  expresses  it,  and  the  garrison  holding  it  was  a 
weak  one;  but  all  honor  to  that  little  band,  who  through  all 
discouragements  clung  steadfastly  to  "the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints. ' '  By  simply  waiting  they  were  surely 
doing  God's  work;  for  when  in  His  providence  the  time  came 
for  moving  onward,  they  were  ready  "with  their  lamps  all 
trimmed  and  bright"  to  lead  in  the  forward  march. 

During  these  five  years  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev. 
W.  S.  Frackleton  from  June  2,  1872,  to  April  1873,  when 
he  went  east  to  attend  the  General  Assembly  and  did  not 
return.     He  was  succeeded  bv  Rev.  Lvman  B.  Crittenden. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


Father  Crittenden,  as  we  all  affectionately  remember  him, 
had  come  to  Bozeman  in  September,  1872,  from  Utah  and 
with  his  daughter  opened  a  private  school.  When  Mr. 
Frackleton  went  away,  he  took  his  place,  and  although  in 
September,  1874,  he  moved  into  the  valley  and  opened  an 
academy  at  Hamilton,  he  continued  to  supply  our  pulpit. 
All  this  time  the  church  had  only  one  monthly  service,  and 
that  was,  through  the  courtesy  of  our  Methodist  brethren, 
held  in  the  Methodist  church. 

2,  The  second  period  embraces  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
Charles  L.  Richards  from  August  9,  1877,  to  March,  1883. 
It  was  a  period  of  activity  and  growth,  in  which  the  patient 
waiting  of  the  faithful  little  band  bore  rich  fruit.  In  an 
address,  delivered  by  Mr.  Richards  on  the  tenth  anniversary 
of  the  organization  of  this  church,  he  thus  paints  its  condi- 
tion on  his  arrival :  ' '  There  were  thirteen  resident  members, 
having  one  elder,  no  deacons,  no  trustees  and  nothing  to 
trust  them  with,  no  Sunday  school  and  no  prayer  meeting. 
Father  Crittenden  had  not  been  able  to  visit  them  for  three 
months.  In  the  families  of  the  members  there  were  only 
six  children,  and  only  three  of  these  were  old  enough  to 
attend  Sunday  school.  Of  the  church  property  the  following 
is  the  invoice  in  1877 :  One  silver  communion  set,  donated 
by  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  one  ses- 
sional record  book  and  about  three  dozen  old  hymn  books. 
Willing  hands  and  prayerful  hearts  composed  the  one 
element  of  worth." 

The  time,  however,  was  ripe  for  an  advance  movement. 
Business  was  reviving  after  the  depression,  following  the 
panic  of  1873.  There  were  prolonged  vacancies  in  the  pas- 
torate of  the  other  churches  in  town.  Of  this  Mr.  Richards 
writes  as  follows :  ' '  There  is  yet  another  matter,  connected 
with  the  season  of  1877  and  the  two  subsequent  years,  which 
both  duty  and  gratitude  require  to  be  mentioned.  We  had 
no  church  home  of  our  own.  We  were  feeble,  and  we  could 
not  buy  or  build.  Then  it  was  that  our  Episcopal  brethren 
opened  their  doors  to  us  and    let    us    in.     The    Episcopal 


32  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

rector  left  Bozeman  within  forty-eight  hours  after  my 
arrival  and  the  Methodist  minister  left  about  six  months 
later.  Both  of  their  societies  gathered  with  us  in  one 
house  of  worship,  and  our  band  of  thirteen  appeared  to  be 
a  band  of  fifty.  We  worshipped  for  two  years  in  the 
Episcopal  church  and  for  fourteen  months  in  the  Methodist 
church.  We  had  their  help,  their  s\Tnpathy,  their  prayers, 
their  purses  and  their  homes  to  aid  us,  until  we  entered  our 
own  home.  May  we  ever  remember  their  love  and  Idndness 
to  us." 

I  may  add  that  we  all  have  very  pleasant  memories  of 
the  cordial  relation  of  our  church  to  Bishop  Tuttle  during 
those  early  years.  He  took  as  much  interest  in  Mr.  Richards 
as  if  he  had  been  one  of  his  own  ''boys,"  and  it  was  through 
his  kindness  that  we  were  permitted  to  occupy  the  building 
of  the  Episcopalians.  In  turn  we  were  always  ready  to 
give  up  our  own  services  and  flock  to  hear  the  Bishop  preach 
on  his  annual  visit. 

Mr.  Richards  at  once  started  a  Wednesday  evening 
prayer  meeting  with  a  rule  that  two  made  a  quorum  to 
transact  business.  Once  or  twice  it  was  actually  held  with 
that  number ;  but  the  pastor  and  the  people  persevered,  and 
now  for  nearly  twenty  years  it  has  been  one  of  the  nir^st 
potent  factors  in  the  spiritual  upbuilding  of  our  church. 

During  the  early  years  we  had  joiui^d  with  r':e  Methodist 
brethren  in  their  Sunday  school,  but  that  school  was  dis- 
continued in  the  summer  of  1878.  This  left  an  opening, 
of  which  our  church  took  prompt  advantage.  We  organized 
at  2:30  P.  M.  on  September  15,  1878,  in  the  Episcopal 
church  building,  32  children  and  9  adults  being  present. 
Mr.  Davis  Willson  was  made  Superintendent  and  Mr.  M.  H. 
Sanders,  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  It  is  of  record  that 
during  the  first  four  years  the  Superintendent  was  absent 
but  two  Sundays,  once  being  kept  home  by  sickness  and 
once  having  gone  to  Hamilton  to  preach.  Our  Sunday 
school  has  always  flourished,  because  it  has  always  been  a 
bible  school,  and  because  it  has  been  the  school  of  the  whole 
church,  not  of  the  children  only. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


33 


PASTORS    OF    THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    BOZEMAN. 

1.  Robert  M.   Stevenson,   D.   D.  4.     David   S.   McCaslin,    D.   D. 

2.  Joseph   W.    Sanderson,    D.    D.  5.     John    Norman    Maclean. 

3.  William   M.    Jack.  6.     Robert  M.   Donaldson,   D.  D. 


34  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

The  next  step  forward  was  building  a  church.  On  June 
9,  1879,  a  congregational  meeting  was  held,  at  which  Messrs. 
John  P.  Bruce,  J.  L.  Patterson  and  Davis  Willson  were 
elected  trustees,  and  it  was  decided  to  move  towards  build- 
ing a  church.  A  building  committee  was  appointed,  of 
which  M.  H.  Sanders  was  chairman,  Mr.  A.  D.  McPherson 
and  the  above  mentioned  trustees  the  other  members.  It 
began  active  work  at  once,  and  Mr.  Richards  himself  was 
untiring,  not  only  in  raising  money  and  arousing  the 
laggards  and  timid  ones,  but  in  doing  actual,  manual  labor 
as  carpenter  and  painter  on  the  building.  It  cost  about 
$5,000.00.  A  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  organized.  Ice  cream 
and  strawberry  festivals,  baked  beans'  suppers  and  church 
fairs  were  more  of  a  novelty  in  those  days  than  now  and 
brought  better  returns,  and  they  raised  some  $2,000.00. 
A  like  amount  was  subscribed  in  cash,  labor  and  material. 
The  Board  of  Church  Erection  gave  $800.00  and  $200.00 
were  raised  by  friends  out  of  town,  chiefly  among  the  officers 
of  the  Fort  Ellis  garrison. 

The  first  service  in  the  new  building  was  held  October  24, 
1880,  and  the  church  was  opened  free  of  debt. 

Meanwhile  the  church  had  grown  slowly  in  numbers,  but 
considerably  in  strength  and  influence  in  the  community. 

On  December  5,  1880,  a  congregational  meeting  was  held 
for  the  election  of  additional  elders  and  deacons.  Messrs. 
Edward  M.  Gardner  and  William  W.  Wylie  were  elected 
elders,  Messrs.  Davis  Willson  and  John  Craig  deacons. 
They  were  ordained  and  installed  into  office  March  1,  1831, 

In  March,  1883,  Mr.  Richards  left  us.  He  liad  done  a 
good  work.  The  church  had  grown  to  a  membership  of  77, 
and  where  he  had  found  a  feeble  folk,  homeless  and  ;,lmost 
without  organization,  barely  '^holding  the  fort,"  he  left 
a  strong,  active  church,  owning  its  home,  active  in  different 
Hues  of  church  work,  a  spiritual  prayer  meeting,  a  strong 
Sunday  school,  and  above  all,  a  church  closely  knit  together 
and  self  reliant.  This  was  shown  during  the  next  tV.iir 
months,   while   the   pulpit   remained   vacant,   and   yet   the 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


ofificers  kept  up  the  regular  services,  setting  an  example 
which  the  church  has  followed  ever  since,  whenever  it 
hecame  necessary. 

With  the  arrival  of  Eev.  Robert  M.  Stevenson  in  July, 
1883,  the  third  period  of  the  history  of  this  church  begins. 
Up  to  this  time  ours  had  been  a  home  mission  church,  that 
is,  a:  part  of  the  salary  of  our  minister  had  been  paid  by 
the  Home  Mission  Board.  Mr.  Stevenson  encouraged  the 
church  to  become  self-supporting,  and  this  was  voted,  prob- 
ably at  the  same  congregational  meeting  which  on  October 
14,  1883,  called  Mr.  Stevenson  as  the  first  regular  pastor 
of  this  church. 

He  was  not  installed  until  February  2,  1884,  and  at  the 
same  service  Dr.  J.  M.  Waters  was  installed  and  Mr.  Davis 
Willson  ordained  as  elders  and  Mr.  George  H.  Highsmith  as 
deacon,  their  election  having  taken  place  the  previous  day. 

April  2,  1885,  George  H.  Willson  was  elected  deacon  and 
ordained  the  following  Sunday. 

During  Mr.  Stevenson's  pastorate  the  church  flourished. 
The  membership  soon  reached  100.  A  parsonage  was  built 
in  1884,  and  on  March  19,  1884,  the  church  was  incor- 
porated as  ''The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Bozeman, 
Montana,"  Messrs  J.  H.  Taylor,  Davis  Willson  and  J.  D. 
Radford  being  the  first  trustees.  In  1883  the  Women's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  and 
has  led  an  active  and  vigorous  life  ever  since. 

In  1883  the  Bible  Correspondence  Class  was  formed  under 
the  leadership  of  Mr.  Wylie  and  has  been  an  important 
factor  in  training  many  of  our  members  in  a  better 
knowledge  and  understanding  of  the  Bible. 

During  Mr.  Stevenson's  pastorate  began  also  the  system 
of  regular  and  liberal  contributions  to  the  boards  of  our 
church  which  have  been  faithfully  kept  up  ever  since  in 
spite  of  hard  times,  vacant  pulpits  and  other  discourage- 
ments. 

In  1889  the  Society  of  tlie  King's  Daughters  was  organ- 
ized, and  also  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  the  resolution  authorizing 


36  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 

it  being  passed  by  the  session  of  February  13.  It  may  have 
been  with  doubt  as  to  its  wisdom  that  the  session  passed 
this  resolution,  the  effect  of  these  young  peoples'  societies 
being  still  untried;  but  in  our  church  certainly  it  has  had 
good  results  only  and  during  its  existence  it  has  been 
probably  the  most  important  factor  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  our  church. 

Mr.  Stevenson  left  us  in  October,  1889,  his  resignation 
being  accepted  at  a  congregational  meeting  held  September 
8,  and  he,  like  Mr.  Richards,  had  fostered  the  spirit  of  self- 
reliance  in  the  church,  training  the  members  to  work,  so 
that  during  the  six  months'  vacancy  that  followed  the 
church  was  well  held  together  and  all  the  regular  services 
kept  up.  In  this  work  we  missed  one  who  had  in  the  past 
been  chiefly  relied  upon,  Mr.  Davis  Willson,  who  on  October 
13,  1889,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and  therefore  ceased 
to  be  an  elder  in  this  church.  But  although  no  longer  on 
our  rolls  as  a  member  and  an  officer  he  has  never  ceased  to 
be  one  of  us,  and  as  long  as  he  lives  among  us,  although  he 
be  pastor  of  two  churches  and  pope  of  the  Gallatin  Valley, 
we  still  call  him  brother  member  and  officer  and  still  call 
on  him  for  help  as  freely  as  if  we  had  never  lost  our  hold 
upon  him. 

January  24,  1890,  Deacon  John  Craig  died  and  was 
mourned  not  only  by  the  church  but  by  the  whole  com- 
munity. Faithful  and  active  as  a  church  officer,  radical  and 
outspoken  in  his  opinions,  always  standing  undaunted  for 
the  right,  as  he  saw  it,  his  humble  life  was  a  moral  force  in 
this  community.  He  is  the  only  officer  of  our  church  who 
has  died  during  its  twenty-five  years. 

On  April  20,  1890,  Rev.  Joseph  W.  Sanderson,  D.  D.,  be- 
gan his  ministry.  On  July  2,  he  was  called  as  a  pastor  and 
installed  shortly  after,  remaining  with  us  a  little  more  than 
two  years  to  July  20,  1892. 

On  June  4,  1890,  T.  F.  Stevenson  and  Peter  Koch  were 
elected  elders  and  J.  D.  Radford,  F.  J.  Nesbitt  and  E.  B. 
Martin  deacons,  the  ordination  and  installation  taking  place 
June  22. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


37 


In  November  of  that  year  the  deacons  were  requested  to 
join  in  the  regular  monthly  session  meetings,  and  this  has 
been  found  to  work  admirably  in  unifying  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  interests  of  the  church. 

On  October  17,  1892,  a  call  was  extended  to  Kev.  Robert 
M.  Donaldson  who  began  his  pastorate  December  19,  1892, 
remaining  to  April  1,  1895. 

In  the  spring  of  1893  steps  were  taken  looking  towards 
the  building  of  a  new  church.  Lots  were  secured,  but  the 
panic  coming  on,  it  became  a  struggle  to  meet  even  the 
ordinary  expenses  and  the  matter  was  dropped  for  the  time. 
In  18*92  the  Junior  Endeavor  Society  was  organized,  in 
1894  the  Men's  League,  and  in  1895  the  Macedonian  Society, 
From  March  19  to  October  20,  1895,  the  pulpit  was  sup- 
plied by  Mr.  William  M.  Jack,  a  recent  graduate  of  Prince- 
ton Seminary. 

Rev.  David  S.  McCaslin,  D.  D.,  served  as  stated  supply 
from  October  27,  1895,  to  August  30,  1896. 

After  the  departure  of  Dr.  McCaslin  the  church  remamed 
vacant  for  eight  months.  By  the  help  of  Rev.  James  Reid 
and  occasional  visits  from  other  ministers,  the  officers  kept 
up  all  the  regular  services  except  Sunday  evening  services. 
After  several  vain  efforts  a  call  was  at  last  issued  to 
Rev.  John  Norman  Maclean  of  VaccaviUe,  California,  which 
was  accepted,  and  Mr.  Maclean  preached  his  first  sermon 
on  May  2  of  this  year,  being  installed  as  pastor  on  May  16. 
Before  he  arrived  preparations  were  in  progress  for  cele- 
brating the  quarter  centennial  anniversary  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church  and  his  pastorate  was  auspiciously  opened 
by  this  celebration  on  May  30, 1897. 

Counting  Mr.  Maclean,  this  church  has,  during  its  twenty- 
five  years'  existence,  had  eight  ministers,  four  of  them  in- 
stalled pastors,  four  of  them  stated  supplies. 

It  has  had  seven  elders,  all  of  whom  are  still  among  us. 
It  has  had  nine  deacons.    Of  these,  one,  John  Craig,  died ; 
one,  Davis  Willson,  was  elected    an    elder,    three    having 
moved  away,  and  four  are  now  serving. 

288501 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


One  hundred  and  seventy-five  imeimbers  have  been 
received  on  confession,  198  by  letter  from  other  churches. 
Eighty-seven  have  been  dismissed  to  other  churches,  26  have 
died.  Our  present  active  membership  being  167,  this  leaves 
93  unaccounted  for.  Some  of  these  have  .ioined  oiher 
churches  in  this  city  without  taking  letters  from  us,  some 
have  done  so  elsewhere;  but  many,  too  many,  have  simply 
drifted  away.  Where  have  they  gone!  And  while  they 
were  drifting  where  were  our  life  lines? 

During  these  25  years  the  church  has  raised  altogether 
$47,564.00,  $30,852.00  for  congregational  expenses,  $8,038.00 
for  miscellaneous  objects,  the  greater  part  of  which  would 
probably  be  counted  as  congregational  expense ;  $357.00  for 
Presbyterian  assessments  and  $8,317.00  for  the  Boards  of 
the  Church.  This  includes  about  $2,400.00  raised  for  the 
support  of  the  academy.  Leaving  this  out,  our  average 
contributions  to  the  beneficences  of  the  church  have  been 
during  the  past  twelve  years  $356.00.  They  were  last  year 
$585.00. 

Fifty-four  adults  and  105  infants  have  been  baptized ;  but 
this  record  is  probably  incomplete. 

We  reported  this  spring  a  membership  of  167  and  a 
Sunday  school  of  215.  This  is  a  slight  shrinkage  from  the 
last  two  years ;  but  this  shrinkage  is  largely  due  to  a  closer 
revision  of  the  membership  lists,  greater  care  being  now 
taken  to  embrace  only  active,  resident  members. 
A  LETTER  FROM  REV.  SHELDON  JACKSON  D.  D' 

Wasliingion,  I).  C,  May  5,  1897. 
Elder  J.  H.  Taylor. 
Dear  Brother : 

In  accordance  with  your  request  I  send  you  some  account 
of  my  early  experiences  in  Montana  at  the  time  of  the 
organization  of  the  Presbyterian  churches. 

In  May,  1872,  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Russel,  Rev.  William  S. 
Frackleton  and  myself  took  stage  at  Corinne,  Utah,  for 
Helena,  Montana.  After  reaching  Beaver  Head  we  found 
bridges  gone  and  every  ravine    (usually  dry)    a  roaring 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  39 

mountain  torrent,  high  water  everywhere.  At  length,  two 
or  three  days  behind  time,  we  reached  Helena.  Leaving 
Mr.  Russel  at  Helena,  Mr.  Frackleton  and  myself  took  the 
coach  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  from  Helena  for  Boze- 
man.  At  Gallatin  City  I  stopped  ot¥  to  reconnoitre  the  land 
at  the  "crossing,"  while  Mr.  Frackleton  continued  on  to 
Bozeman.  On  Thursday,  May  30,  two  printed  posters  were 
put  up  in  ditferent  parts  of  Gallatin  City  and  on  fence 
posts  along  the  road  leading  to  the  country.  A  boy  was 
started  out  on  horseback  to  notify  all  the  ranchmen  in  that 
section  that  there  would  be  preaching  that  evening  in 
Gallatin  City.  A  congregation  of  50  were  gathered  together 
and  among  them  were  five  communicants  of  Presbyterian 
churches  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  including  Mr.  Isaac 
A.  Dick,  who  had  also  been  a  ruling  elder  in  the  States. 
This  small  company  was  organized  into  a  Prebyterian 
church  and  Mr.  Dick  was  duly  elected  and  installed  ruling 
elder.  The  next  morning,  leaving  my  satchel  to  come  by 
stage,  I  started  on  foot  and  walked  to  Hamilton,  about  18 
toiiles  (if  I  remember  right),  in  order  to  have  a  little  time 
to  look  around  that  neighborhood  before  the  arrival  of  tlie 
stage  for  Bozeman.  This  I  succeeded  in  doing  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  preaching  on  the  following  Monday 
evening.  Late  in  the  afternoon  the  Helena  stage  came  along 
and  I  took  passage  for  Bozeman.  Owing  to  the  high  water 
and  the  consequent  bad  roads  in  places  we  did  not  reach 
Bozeman  until  towards  morning.  The  following  Sabbath, 
June  2,  divine  service  was  held  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  which  had  been  kindly  offered  for  our  use.  Although 
the  day  was  ushered  in  with  a  cold,  drizzling  rain,  yet  a 
goodly  number  gathered  together  to  hear  the  preacliing, 
after  which  the  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  with 
Mr.  J.  H.  Taylor  as  ruling  elder  and  the  ordinance  of 
baptism  was  administered  to  Miss  M.  J.  Da-\is,  who  united 
with  the  church  upon  her  profession  of  faith. 

On  Monday,  June  3,  in  company  with  Mr.  Frackleton,  I 
went  down  the  East  Gallatin  Creek  to  the  ranch  of  Judge 


40  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN  MONTANA. 

Street,  where  divine  service  was  held  and  tlie  church  of 
Hamilton  was  organized  with  J,  J.  Davidson  as  ruling 
elder.  Owing  to  the  swollen  condition  of  the  stream  pre- 
venting fording,  Mr,  Davidson  was  compelled  to  go  a  long 
way  around,  leaving  home  at  half  past  two  in  the  morning 
to  enable  him  to  reach  divine  service  at  11  o'clock. 

Resuming  the  coach  at  2  o  'clock  on  Tuesday  morning  and 
riding  through  the  overflowed  bottom  lands,  once  or  twice 
swimming  the  horses,  we  reached  the  crossing  of  the 
Madison  for  breakfast,  and  a  sorry  breakfast  it  was;  the 
landlord  was  absent  from  home  and  the  landlady  had  been 
drunk  all  the  preceding  night.  Soon  after  leaving  the 
breakfast  station  a  horseman  galloped  up  announcing  that 
both  the  bridge  and  ferry  across  the  Jefferson  had  been 
washed  away.  By  making  a  long  detour  we  were  able  to 
reach  Virginia  City  that  night. 

On  Wednesday  night,  June  5,  a  small  church  was  organ- 
ized at  Virginia  City  with  William  H.  Rodgers  as  ruling 
elder.  Being  disappointed  in  securing  a  regular  minister 
for  that  section  of  the  territory,  the  church  eventually  died 
out.  From  Virginia  City,  crossing  over  to  Deer  Lodge,  a 
church  was  organized  on  the  following  Sabbath,  June  9, 
with  Thomas  Aspling  and  J.  E.  Smith  ruling  elders.  From 
Deer  Lodge  I  took  the  stage  to  Missoula,  where  the  com- 
mencement of  a  church  was  made  with  J.  W.  Cunningham 
ruling  elder.  Failing  to  secure  for  the  place  a  minister, 
that  church  also  died  out  and  had  to  be  afterwards  reor- 
ganized. Upon  my  return,  taking  the  stage  at  three  o  'clock 
in  the  morning  at  Missoula,  I  reached  Deer  Lodge  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening;  arriving  at  the  hotel  I  was  informed 
by  a  committe  that  they  had  made  an  appointment  for  me 
to  preach  at  the  Court  House  that  evening.  Without  wait- 
ing to  wash  off  the  dust  of  the  one  hundred  mile  stage  ride 
or  to  get  supper,  I  at  once  went  to  the  Court  House  and 
preached.  The  next  morning  at  six  o'clock  I  was  again  in 
the  stage  enroute  over  the  divide  to  Helena,  where  on  June 
16  the  Presbyterian  church,  which  had  been  organized  by 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


myself  in  1869,  and  had  lapsed  for  want  of  a  missionary, 
was  reorganized  with  John  E.  Pyle  and  A.  T.  Williams 
ruling  elders.  At  eight  o'clock  on  the  17th  of  June,  in  thtj 
Court  House  at  Helena,  by  order  of  the  General  Assembly, 
Messrs.  Frackleton  and  Bussel  and  Elder  Williams  and 
myself,  met  to  organize  the  Presbytery  of  Montana,  the 
sermon  being  preached  by  myself.  The  business  sessions 
of  the  Presbytery  on  the  following  days  were  held  in  my 
bed  room  at  the  International  Hotel.  At  the  close  of  the 
Presbytery  a  reception  was  given  to  the  members  of  the 
Presbytery  and  the  Church  at  Helena  at  the  residence  of 
Hon.  R.  E.  Fisk,  editor  of  the  Helena  Herald. 

Hoping  that  you  may  have  a  pleasant  time  at  your  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary,  and  the  Church  be  encouraged  to  take 
hold  of  the  work  of  evangelizing  Montana  with  increased 
vigor  and  zeal,  I  remain. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

SHELDON  JACKSON. 

A  LETTER  FROM  BISHOP  TUTTLE. 
Mr.  E.  M.  Gardner,  May  9,  1897. 

''Committee  on  Invitation," 
Bozeman,  Montana. 

My  Dear  Sir: — I  am  in  receipt  of  your  most  kind  letter 
of  April  30th,  inviting  me  to  be  present  at  the  ' '  Silver ' '  An- 
niversary of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Bozeman, 
to  be  celebrated  on  May  30th  next. 

You  have  introduced  a  phrase  in  your  letter  which  goes 
to  my  heart.  You  say,  ''One  of  our  members  recently  said, 
we  always  looked  upon  Bishop  Tuttle  as  the  people's  Bish- 
op and  felt  that  he  was  one  of  us." 

First,  let  me  thank  you  and  the  people  of  your  church 
most  heartily  for  thinking  of  me  and  asking  me  to  come. 
Most  sincerely  I  wish  I  could  come  out  to  be  with  you,  but 
urgent  duties  at  home  utterly  preclude. 

Next,  let  me  try  to  tell  you  how,  as  I  sit  down  of  a  Sun- 
day afternoon  to  write  this  letter,  my  mind  and  memory 
travel  over  past  years  and  place  me  in  thought  in  Bozeman 
again. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


I  first  entered  Bozeman  from  Virginia  City  at  the  end 
of  June,  1868,  and  stayed  nearly  a  week  at  Tom  Coover's 
honse  near  the  mill.  On  Sunday  morning,  July  5th,  I 
preached  in  the  building  which  did  service  as  a  ''Union 
Church ' '  and  a  ' '  Court  House. ' '  Through  the  week  a  fam- 
ous trial  before  Judge  Hosmer  had  been  going  on,  wherein 
I  think  Col.  Sanders  and  Col.  Thoroughnian  were  in  their 
usual  positions  of  opposing  counsel.  Leg-furnished  slabs 
were  seats.  Sawdust  of  sufficient  thickness  to  help  mother 
earth  to  the  decent  concealment  of  generous  expectorations 
made  the  floor.  Almost  nobody  of  my  own  Prayer-Book 
Church  was  tliere.  But  all,  whether  bom  or  bred  Presby- 
terian, Methodist,  Baptist  or  Roman  Catholic,  joined  in  and 
helped  me  carry  the  service  through.  And  all,  miners, 
ranchmen,  lawyers,  witnesses,  traders  and  sporting  men 
took  a  hand  in  making  the  collection  liberal  and  large. 

This  statement  is  typical  of  all  early  preaching  services 
in  Montana.  Everybody  helped.  Everybody  was  kind. 
And  I,  in  turn,  tried  to  call  on  everybody,  meet  everybody 
as  I  came  around. 

God  bless  all  the  dear,  kind,  generous  friends  of  those 
days !  Tears  of  gratitude  will  not  keep  back  when  the  lov- 
ing message  is  now  sent  on  to  me,  "We  always  looked  upon 
Bishop  Tuttle  as  the  people's  Bishop." 

*  *  *  *  And  now  all  humbly  I  beg  to  commend  you  and 
your  brethren  to  God's  grace  and  Christ's  love  and  the 
Holy  Spirit's  guidance.    By  whatever  ways  of  His  appoint- 
ment may  He  bring  us  all  HOME  with  Him  at  last ! 
Faithfully  and  gratefully  yours, 

DAN'L  S.  TUTTLE, 

Bishop  of  Missouri. 

A  LETTER  FROM  REV.  CHARLES  L.  RICHARDS. 
(Mr.  Richards  supplied  the  pulpit  of  the  Bozeman  church 
from  August,  1877,  to  March,  1883.     He  is  now  the  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Poynette,  Wisconsin.) 

Baraboo,  Wisconsin,  May  19,  1897. 
Bro.  Willson: — According  to  promise  I  will  write  you 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  43 

some  thing  which  yon  can  nse  in  connection  with  your  25tE 
Anniversary.  How  I  wish  we  three  could  be  with  you !  *  *  * 
Well,  I  have  resurrected  my  tenth  anniversary  address, 
printed  in  the  Avant  Courier  on  June  8th,  1882.  I  send  it 
on  to  you,  as  a  gift  to  the  Church.  It  can  be  stowed  away 
in  some  tin  box  and  trotted  out  25  years  from  now. 

What  a  flood  of  memories  sweep  over  me!  Thursday 
night,  August  9th,  1877,  at  nine  o'clock  I  rode  into  Boze- 
man.  Sitting  outside,  with  the  stage  driver,  from  Cock- 
rill's  bridge,  I  kept  track  of  the  north  star,  determined  not 
to  get  "turned  around"  and  be  uncomfortable  all  my  Boze- 
man  days. 

That  morning  General  Gibbon  exchanged  compliments 
with  Nez  Perce  Joe  in  the  battle  at  Big  Hole,  Montana. 
That  night  as  we  rode  into  Bozeman,  and  down  Main  Street, 
from  Major  Pease's  residence,  we  heard  the  fiddle  and  the 
dance  over  the  saloon  next  to  the  Northern  Pacific  Hotel. 
At  J.  H.  Taylor's  store  the  mail  bags  were  thrown  off,  then 
on  to  the  Laclede  Hotel  and  back  to  the  Northern  Pacific, 
where  George  Wakefield  and  wife  entertained  wayfarers. 

After  registering,  the  first  person  to  call  me  by  name  was 
Mr.  McCaman,  then  County  Treasurer. 

The  next  day  I  went  forth  to  spy  out  the  laud, — no,  not 
to  spy  out  but  to  inspect,  and  that  night  I  entered  it  on  my 
journal:  ''Shall  it  be  in  vain  that  I  have  come  out  here!" 

Well,  Mr.  Taylor  came  around  and  invited  me  to  tea. 
At  his  house  I  was  satisfied  I  had  not  travelled  beyond  tlie 
bounds  of  culture  and  civilization.  He  sat  at  the  north  end 
of  the  table  and  his  wife  at  the  south,  towards  the  kitchen 
door.  Opposite  me  on  the  west  side,  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davis  Willson. 

I  was  certainly  conscious  that  I  was  being  measured  all 
over,  and  every  utterance  well  weighed  by  my  new  acquaint- 
ances. 

I  had  this  satisfaction:  I  could  use  my  eyes  while  they 
used  theirs,  and  I  could  be  just  as  non-committal  as  they. 

Mrs.  Willson  gave  me  a  centre-shot  at  the  table  and  I 


44  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

tried  to  return  it.  She  said:  ''We  prayed  and  prayed,  that 
the  Lord  wonkl  send  us  a  minister;  and  it  did  seem  as 
tliough  our  prayers  would  never  be  answered.  Finally  we 
heard  one  was  coming,  and  then  we  began  to  dread  lest  be 
might  be  just  like  some  other  ministers  Bozeman  had  been 
afflicted  witli;  and  so  we  began  to  pray  for  him  that  he 
might  be  just  the  kind  we  want,  and  not  one  that  would  dis- 
grace us!"  It  took  me  a  second  or  two  to  recover  from 
that,  and  then  I  remarked:  "And  now  that  he  has  come, 
you  had  better  keep  on  praying  for  him. ' ' 

That  evening  Bishop  Tuttle  called  at  the  hotel  to  see 
me,  the  first  of  many  kind  attentions  and  courtesies  T  re- 
ceived from  him.  How  nicely  he  solved  my  first  problem 
for  me,  when  he  instructed  the  Episcopal  wardens  to  let 
me  have  the  use  of  their  Chapel!  And  for  two  years  we 
enjoyed  their  fellowship. 

On  Sabbath  morning  I  went  over  to  hear  Bishop  Tuttle 
preach  and  worship  with  them  in  their  Chapel.  They  then 
had  some  old-fashioned  settees  which  belonged  to  the 
county. 

How  often  we  carried  those  long  seats  from  the  hall, 
over  the  saloon,  next  to  the  Pacific  Hotel,  where  Court  was 
held,  and  when  every  show  that  came  to  town  was  sure  to 
want  them!  Of  course  both  court  and  show  would  want 
them  on  Saturday,  making  it  necessary  to  do  an  hour 's  work 
on  Sunday  morning ! 

Well,  I  sat  about  half  way  up  the  church,  and  while  wait- 
ing for  the  people  to  come  in  and  the  Bishop  to  open  the 
service,  the  time  was  fully  occupied  as  strangers  always 
occupy  it  in  any  church.  Soon  a  spruce,  well  dressed  gen- 
tleman, with  gray  hair  and  whiskers,  accompanied  by  his 
wife  in  a  black  silk  dress,  entered  and  sat  in  front  of  me. 
They  greeted  friends  in  the  seat  before  them  as  they  sat 
down.  Then,  in  tones  loud  enough  for  my  ears  I  heard  this 
civilized  statement:  "This  is  the  first  time  I  have  been  in 
a  church  for  a  year."  I  made  a  personal  inspection  from 
the  rear,  determined  to  know  who  was  the  gentleman  of 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA. 


Bozeman  who  had  not  been  to  church  before  for  a  year! 
If  Col.  May  is  still  in  Bozeman  he  will  without  hesitation 
assent  to  my  testimony. 

One  week  from  that  time  I  stood  before  a  Bozeman  con- 
gregation for  the  first  time.  The  Methodist  minister  was  at 
Chico — over  the  range — and  I  had  the  town  to  myself,  or 
what  little  of  it  cared  to  go  to  church,  and  what  more  of  it 
went  out  of  curiosity.  Col.  May  broke  his  record  by  being 
there  again.  The  next  day  I  called  at  the  Blue  Front  and 
exchanged  courtesies  with  him.  During  our  conversation 
he  assured  me  I  had  the  largest  congregation  the  day  be- 
fore at  the  morning  service  T  would  ever  have  in  Bozeman. 
Knowing  from  his  own  lips  what  his  past  record  had  been, 
the  statement  seemed  quite  reasonable.  There  were  65 
present  in  the  morning  and  17  in  the  evening.  However, 
the  Colonel  soon  came  to  be  a  faithful  attendant  at  the 
morning  service,  and  so  assisted  in  spoiling  his  own  pre- 
diction. On  November  11th,  the  attendance  reached  80,  and 
on  January  13,  1878,  it  was  over  100.  Occasionally  it  was 
larger. 

When  Rev.  F.  B.  Lewis  came,  we  divided  the  congrega- 
tion between  us,  and  after  Rev.  Mr.  Comfort  came  I  divided 
again  with  him. 

The  Bozeman  ministers  had  had  hard  work  building  up 
the  prayer  meeting.  Discouraged,  it  was  abandoned.  It 
was  no  use  to  try.  My  decision  was  quietly  made.  Two 
should  constitute  a  quorum,  and  I  was  sure  one  of  them 
could  do  the  janitor  work  if  it  was  necessary.  From  a  hum- 
ble birth  it  lived  and  grew  and  God  blessed  it.  Only  once 
did  it  drop  down  to  two  present,  ]\Irs.  Agnes  Taylor  and 
myself;  and  to  her  surprise  the  prayer  meeting  was  held 
as  usual.  One  stormy  night,  when  the  snow  was  over  a 
foot  deep,  Mr.  Wylie  and  another  met  me  in  the  large  brick 
M.  E.  Church  and  we  held  our  meeting. 

Probably  no  work  or  enterprise  proved  more  helpful  to 
our  little  church  than  the  services  conducted  by  the  elders 
and  deacons  while  I  was  down  the  valley  once  per  month, 


46  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


when  sermons  from  Talmage,  Spurgeon  and  others  were 
read.  Then  the  time  came  when  the  mid-week  prayer  meet- 
ing was  likewise  conducted  by  the  laymen.  About  the  same 
time  a  conspiracy  arose  against  the  pastor  being  janitor 
too,  and  six  men  agreed  to  serve  for  two  months  each,  while 
Mr.  Sanders  agreed  to  saw  the  wood,  in  place  of  the  pastor 
doing  it. 

Well!  Well!  How  I  would  like  to  go  on.  But  I  cannot 
write  one-tenth  the  memories  that  ask  for  recognition.  Our 
church  building,  small,  but  pretty;  I  saw  the  first  stake 
driven  and  the  first  sod  taken  up.  Plow  I  crawled  all  over 
it,  and  painted  all  over  it!  Yes,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
roof,  about  eight  or  ten  feet  from  the  tower,  I  slipped  on 
the  shingles  and  spilt  some  paint.  If  I  were  there  I  would 
look  for  the  spot  on  the  roof.  It  was  not  the  only  slip  and 
spill  and  spot  I  made;  but  long  ago  I  asked  the  Heavenly 
Father  to  blot  them  all  out  and  overrule  for  His  own  name's 
sake. 

Wliat  a  heartache  it  was  to  see  the  new  church,  not  yet 
finished,  falling  apart!  I  had  been  away  for  a  week,  and 
upon  my  return,  I  went  over  to  the  church  to  see  how  it 
was  prospering.  It  was  raining  hard  and  the  shingles  were 
not  all  on.  Way  up  next  to  the  rafters  I  crawled  among 
the  secondary  rafters,  and  to  my  dismay  noticed  that  only 
one-fifth  of  the  collar  beams  had  been  put  in.  The  very 
part  most  necessarv  for  a  self-supporting  roof  was  slighted. 
This  I  reported  to  the  building  committee  and  the  contrac- 
tors, but  nothing  was  done.  After  the  inside  braces  were 
removed  the  walls  began  to  bulge  out.  Then  an  extensive 
amount  of  truss  work  was  done,  and  collar  beams  put  in, 
but  the  parts  had  given  way,  and  nothing  would  do  now 
but  iron  rods. 

From  the  centre  of  the  arched  ceiling  a  rod  caine  down 
to  the  horizontal  rod,  and  then  from  that  another  hung  for 
the  cliandelier  and  lamps.  Canvass  and  paper,  and  no 
plaster,  formed  walls  and  ceiling  in  those  days.  Those 
stained  windows  from  Buffalo,  New  York;  that  whale  for  a 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE    FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    BOZEMAN. 

1.  The  Building  of  1880.  3.    Elder  Edward  M.  Gardner. 

2.  Deacon   John   Craig.*  4.     Elder  William  W.  "Wylie. 

♦Deceased   Jan.    24,   1890. 


48  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

weather  van !  Is  it  there  yet?  Then  that  tremendous  hood 
for  the  front  chimney!  Long  ago  rust  and  creosote  took 
that  off,  I  suppose!  The  trees  were  set  out.  I  hope  they 
are  large  and  thrifty  now.  And  the  faces  in  the  congre- 
gation, liow  they  must  have  changed!  Some  are  not,  for 
the  Lord  has  called  them  home.  What  a  sad  day  that  was 
when  Mrs.  Agnes  Taylor  was  buried,  and  later  when  her 
boy  followed  her!  *  *  *  My  wife  joins  me  in  love  to  the 
Church  and  its  members,  and  we  pray  for  your  spiritual  and 
eternal  welfare.  Like  the  brook  that  Mrs.  Willson  used  to 
sing  about,  may  its  Christian  power  and  influence  go  on 
forever  and  forever. 

Sincerely  and  fraternally  yours, 

C.  L.  RICHARDS. 
Monday  Evening,  May  31st,  1897. 

The  congregation  and  friends  again  assembled  in  the 
church.  Dr.  J.  H.  Featherstone  presided.  After  music  and 
prayer,  report  was  made  by  the  church  treasurer,  Mr.  E. 
B.  Martin,  that  the  anniversary  offerings  toward  clearing 
the  church  of  debt  for  the  new  building  lot  amounted  to 
about  $500. 

Sentiments  were  then  proposed,  as  given  herewith;  and 
responses  were  made,  of  which  the  substance  is  better  pre- 
served than  the  aroma.  The  exercises  were  interspersed 
with  songs  by  Mrs.  Willson  and  Miss  Van  Tassel. 

THE  CHARTER  MEMBERS. 
(Response  by  Mrs.  M.  M.  Rich.) 
It  seems  very  strange  tonight,  as  it  has  all  through  these 
delightful  anniversary  exercises,  as  we  have  gathered  in 
such  numbers,  to  think  of  the  time  when  there  was  no  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Bozeman.  Remembering  that  small  be- 
ginning, and  comparing  it  with  our  present  proportions,  it 
seems  so  very  little  that  we  did  towards  the  organization 
and  maintenance  of  a  church,  that  I  can  only  exclaim, 
"Wliat  hath  God  wrought!"  The  few  years  that  passed 
in  this  new  country  before  the  church  was  organized,  seem- 
ed very  long  ones,  as  all  years  do  in  a  new  place,  amidst 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  49 

new  and  strange  scenes,  and  I  don't  know  but  we  almost 
forgot  that  we  were  Presbyterians.  We  had  associated  so 
pleasantly  with  the  Methodist  people,  and  were  so  much  at- 
tached to  Bishop  Tuttle,  whose  yearly  visits  were  always 
glad  seasons  to  us  all,  that  we  hardly  knew  what  church 
we  did  belong  to.  So  it  is  no  wonder  if  we  did  not  feel 
so  very  anxious  to  assume  the  responsibilities  and  duties 
of  a  separate  church  organization.  If  we  had  dreamed  of 
such  an  event  as  a  25th  anniversary  we  should  no  doubt 
have  made  an  effort  to  preserve  every  possible  detail  of  that 
occasion  for  the  interest  of  this. 

It  is  not  possible  to  think  of  that  time  without  looking 
back  of  it  to  the  experiences  of  the  very  first  year  or  so  of 
pioneer  life.  Many  pleasant  recollections  have  been  awak- 
ened by  the  cordial  letters  received  from  Sheldon  Jackson, 
Bishop  Tuttle  and  Mr.  Richards,  and  memories  not  so 
pleasant  have  also  come  crowding  in.  Back  of  everything 
else  is  a  confused  picture  in  which  are  prominent  mule 
trains,  and  ox  trains,  emigrant  wagons  and  cow  boys,  with 
bucking  horses,  and  the  welcome  arrival  of  the  stage  coach 
that  brought  to  us  the  letters  which  told  us  of  all  the  dear 
ones  left  behind  in  the  old  home.  Not  unfrequently  num- 
bers of  Indians  would  camp  near  town,  coming  every  day, 
to  the  dwellings,  standing  outside  with  noses  flattened 
against  the  window  panes.  At  times  whole  tribes  passed 
through,  the  chiefs  in  advance  often  dismounting  to  visit 
the  stores.  Squaws  and  papooses  followed,  mounted  upon 
all  sorts  and  sizes  of  horses,  which  were  otherwise  laden 
with  pots  and  kettles  and  other  articles  belonging  to  the 
household,  with  lodge  poles  trailing  behind. 

The  sounds  of  murderous  pistol  shots  were  often  heard 
at  midnight,  or  in  the  small  morning  hours,  the  measured 
tread  of  the  feet  of  men  as  they  bore  some  dead  or  wounded 
body  away  from  the  place  of  midnight  revel.  The  deadly 
thing  that  usually  instigated  the  murders  and  the  angry 
shouts  and  c^Trses  which  so  often  rang  out  upon  the  mid- 
night air,  was  dealt  out  at  25  cents  a  drink  in  low  board 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


EARLY    WORKERS  IN    THE    BOZEMAN    MISSIONARY    SOCIETY. 

1.  Mrs.    Henry   Fielding.*  5.     Mrs.  William  W.   Wylie. 

2.  Mrs.    John    M.    Waters.  6.     Mrs.  Mary  E.  Martin 

3.  Mrs.  Emma  Willson.  7     Mrs.   Walter  Cooper. 

4.  Mrs.  Melinda  M.  Rich.  *Dcceased    Jan.    15,    1903. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  51 

houses  bearing  the  names  ' '  Kan  Kan. "  "  Kiyii, ' '  etc.  These 
have  been  displaced  by  more  pretentious  buildings,  but  the 
work  done  inside  is  of  the  same  sort. 

Our  plain  little  church  with  its  tasteful  decorations  seems 
quite  elegant  when  put  in  contrast  with  the  room  where  we 
first  held  service,  with  its  rusty  box  stove,  wooden  benches 
and  sawdust  floor.  But  we  have  had  good  singing  from 
the  very  first,  which  was  a  great  comfort,  although  we  rob- 
bed the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Albany  to  get  it. 
In  our  staunch  and  stalwart  brother,  John  Craig,  we  had 
an  element  of  strength  and  sturdy  faith  that  has  been  of 
lasting  benefit.  He  was  ever  at  his  post  of  duty  at  the  right 
time,  whether  it  was  the  Sunday  service,  the  weekly  prayer- 
meeting,  or  the  shoe  maker's  bench,  never  afraid  to  ex- 
press an  honest  sentiment,  let  it  hit  whom  it  might.  The 
stone  of  Scotch  granite  that  now  marks  his  resting  place  on 
the  hill  side,  bears  the  simple,  fitting  inscription,  ''He  was 
faithful." 

The  stage  coach  and  the  emigrant  wagon  each  brought 
to  us  gradually  an  increase  of  population,  and  when  it  was 
whispered  around  that  another  Presbyterian  family  had 
come  we  had  a  little  time  of  rejoicing,  and  so  the  little 
church  has  grown  and  prospered  year  by  year,  having  an 
honorable  standing  among  the  churches  of  Montana,  and 
I  am  sure  we  who  are  permitted  to  take  part  in  this  anni- 
versary celebration  feel  honored  in  being  charter  members 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Bozeman. 

THE  LADIES'  AID  SOCIETY. 
(By  Mrs.  Davis  Willson.*) 
I  had  only  one  fault  to  find  with  these  beautiful  decorations 
**,  and  that  was  the  date  of  the  organization  of  this  society 
— it  was  a  working  force  so  long  before  that.  But  the  society, 
T  think,  has  always  been  stronger  in  works  than  in  words. 
Certainly  it  has  been  neglectful  in  written  words,  for  there 
are  no  earlier  records  than  1883.  It  was  a  money-making 
power  long  before  any  thought  of  organization  suggested 
itself.     I  believe  its  first  work  was  done  in  1877,  the  week 


52  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN  MONTANA. 

after  Mr.  Richards  came,  when  we  women  gathered  up  the 
meagre  furnishings  of  a  sleeping  room  for  ''the  preacher.'^ 
The  first  money  earned  was  by  ice-cream,  made  in  tin  buc- 
kets, cans  and  various  vessels,  by  packing  in  ice  and  then 
stirring  with  spoons  and  shaking  in  the  ice ;  these  processes 
being  alternated  throughout  the  entire  day.  The  product 
was  not  "Mrs.  Martin's  ice-cream,"  but  it  sold. 

At  an  early  day  we  resolved  on  a  great  speculation — a 
Strawberry  Festival!  No  berries  were  then  raised  in  the 
valley,  and  we  sent  to  Helena  for  them.  They  came  in  the 
night,  and  in  the  early  morning  were  opened  at  Mr.  Taylor's 
house,  which  was  headquarters  for  all  church  work.  Then 
messages  of  distress  went  forth,  and  the  faithful  were  sum- 
moned to  a  council  of  war.  The  berries  were  ruined !  Not 
being  properly  protected  in  the  boot  of  the  coach,  the  boxes 
were  heaped  brown  with  the  dust  of  100  miles!  You  can 
imagine  the  consternation,  for  they  cost  a  fabulous  sum. 
But  you  know  emergencies  call  for  heroism.  Soon  every 
woman  was  supplied  with  a  dish  of  water  in  which  one  by 
one  the  berries  were  swished  about  till  free  from  dust  and 
then  spread  on  platters.  One  of  these  helpers  here  tonight 
says  she  can  recall  distinctly  the  look  of  those  platters  of 
mushy  berries.    But  the  festival  was  a  great  success  finan- 

*  Mrs.  Da.vis  Willson  died  while  tliis  history  was  in  preparation.  The 
following-     statement      is      condensed  from   the   Bozeman   Chronicle: 

"Miss  Martha  Van  Allen,  born  September  19,  1S46,  in  Canton,  N.  Y.,  was 
married  to  Mr.  Davis  Willson  in  Virginia  City,  Montana,,  May  18,  1874,  by 
Governor  B.  F.  Potts.  The  bride  had  come  by  rail  and  stage  some  three 
thousand  miles  to  meet  her  promised  husband.  She  died  on  November  19, 
1906,    at   the   home    of   her   son   Professor  Prank  G.  Willson,  in  Urbana,  Illinois. 

Mrs.  Willson  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  a  teacher 
in  the  Sabbath-school,  an  active  member  of  the  missionary  society,  being 
president  of  that  orgafiization  at  the  time  of  her  death.  When  nearing  the 
end  she  said:  'Isn't  it  pleasant  to  think  my  last  meeting  was  a  missionary 
meeting.'  Mrs.  Willson  was  no  drudge  in  her  service;  all  was  with  digrnity, 
efficiency  and  cheerfulness.  She  was  strictly  ihuman  and  ihad  the  saving 
grace  of  humor.  She  would  have  been  sincerely  amused  if  some  friend 
had  suggested  that  she  was  a  saint." 

Mrs.  Willson's  practical  Christian  character  is  manifested  in  her  paper  on 
"The  Ladies'  Aid  Society." 

**  The  legend  which  formed  a  striking  part  of  the  decoration  of  the  church 
at  the  anniversay  exercises  and  to  which  Mrs.  Willson  refers,  rea.ds  as  fol- 
lows: "HITHERTO  HATH  THE  LORD  HELPED  US,  ]S72-1897.  SUNDAY 
SCHOOL,  1879;  LADIES'  AID,  1S81 ;  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY,  1883;  CHRIST- 
IAN ENDEAVOR,  1889;  KING'S  DAUGHTERS,  1S89;  JUNIOR  ENDEAVOR. 
1892;    MEN'S   LEAGUE,    1894;    MACEDONIANS    ■>Si%." 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  53 

cially;  and  the  berries  were  a  success,  though  they  were  a 
trifle  gritty  and  made  the  cream  on  them  a  little  cloudy. 
But  those  were  primitive  times.  The  following  year  we  ob- 
tained strawberries  nearer  home,  Mr.  Richards  making  a 
circuit  of  the  valley  to  procure  them;  and  we  had  conven- 
iences for  ice-cream  making — that  is,  we  had  a  one-gallon 
freezer  in  which  we  froze  all  the  cream,  packing  it  in  buckets 
and  pails.  We  could  never  make  enough  to  supply  the  de- 
mand, even  when  we  froze  all  the  evening;  and  sometimes 
our  patrons  sat  at  the  tables  and  waited  while  the  freezer 
was  rushed  in  the  back  of  the  room.  Often,  to  our  dismay, 
the  material  ran  short,  and  many  of  us  have  heard  how 
some  one,  looking  at  the  thick  rich,  creamy  dishwater,  said, 
^'Oh,  freeze  that;  it'll  sell!"  Que  of  the  speakers  yester- 
day told  us  of  subscriptions  and  contributions  for  the  new 
church,  and  added,  "Ice-cream  and  strawberries  did  the 
rest."  A  suggestion  only  was  sufficient  to  remind  him  of 
his  error.  Various  ways  and  means  were  used  to  raise 
money.  A  maple  sugar  festival,  at  which  we  had  to  culti- 
vate a  taste  for  that  sweet,  and  teach  people  how  to  ' '  sugar 
off"  and  eat  "wax  on  ice,"  seemed  very  funny  to  us  eastern 
folks. 

There  was  Mrs.  Jarley's  waxworks,  with  improvised 
scenery,  and  costumes  composed  out  of  anything  available, 
in  which  our  staid  and  dignified  people  fiddled  and  jerked 
and  creaked  in  obedience  to  the  crank,  and  then  "ran 
down"  in  a  most  grotesque  way.  Also  a  Mother  Goose 
entertainment  by  the  children,  and  Cantatas;  the  Hay- 
makers by  our  gentlemen  and  ladies,  and  the  Flower 
Queen,  by  children  of  the  town,  who  were  trained  so  beau- 
tifully that  they  just  reaped  the  dollars  for  us. 

Then,  when  our  church  was  built,  it  must  be  lighted ;  and 
a  society  of  young  ladies,  the  V.  D.  0.  N's — Vast  Deal  of 
Nonsense — most  of  them  now  mature  matrons  in  our  city, 
came  to  our  rescue  with  an  entertainment,  and  procured 
the  lamps  and  chandeliers  we  used  so  long.  Then  fairs, 
pantomimes,  tableaux,  broom  drills,  fan  drills — all  matters 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


of  hard  work  under  the  easiest  circumstances,  but  with  our 
disadvantages  I  am  amazed  at  the  courage  which  attempted, 
and  the  genius  which  made  them  creditable  entertainments. 
I  am  sure  no  participant  in  those  scenes  can  recall  them 
without  a  grateful  thought  of  our  faithful  ally,  Scotty 
Craig.  We  always  knew  that  he  would  be  the  last  to  leave 
the  hall;  he  always  locked  up,  carried  the  baskets  that 
must  go  home  that  night,  and  saw  the  last  tired  woman  safe 
home.  Poor  Scotty,  his  s^mipathies  were  so  large,  and  his 
life  so  lonely  here,  my  heart  always  aches  when  I  think  of 
him. 

Those  were  days  of  hard  work  and  self-denial,  but  they 
had  their  compensations.  Their  good  comradship  and  mer* 
ry,  loving  fellowship,  are  not  surpassed  by  the  more  sys- 
tematic  church  work  of  the  present  time. 

The  future  of  this  society  looks  very  bright.  It  is  well 
organized  and  officered,  made  up  of  bright,  hopeful  wo- 
men who  will,  I  predict,  soon  be  enthused  with  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a  new  church  edifice. 

(Other  themes  considered  at  this  Monday  evening  meet- 
ing were :  Our  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  by  Mr.  George 
Willson;  The  King's  Daughters,  by  Miss  Maud  Martin; 
Junior  Christian  Endeavor,  by  Miss  Haunson;  The  Men's 
League,  by  Mr.  Stevenson;  The  Macedonians,  by  Miss 
Blanche  Cleveland;  The  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union,  by  Mrs.  Peter  Koch;  The  Supernumeraiy  Pastor,  by 
Eev.  Davis  Willson;  The  Sister  Churches  by  Rev.  0.  F. 
McHargue,  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church ;  Our  St.  Cecilia, 
(Mrs.  Emma  Willson),  by  Mrs.  John  M.  Waters;  and  The 
Pilgrims,  by  Eev.  John  N.  Maclean.) 

THE  BOZEMAN  ACADEMY. 
(By  John  M.  Waters,  M.  D.) 
The  Bozeman  Academy  was  opened  in  1887  with  Prof.  A. 
M.  Matoon,  principal,  and  three  lady  assistants.  Its  begin- 
ning was  largely  owing  to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  E.  P.  Linnell, 
superintendent  of  home  mission  work  in  the  Presbytery  of 
Montana,  and  its  purpose  was  to  prepare  students  for  col- 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA. 


55 


lege,  or  for  active  life,  by  instruction  somewhat  broader  and 
more  advanced  than  that  in  the  public  schools. 

Three  courses  of  study  were  announced :  Classical,  Scien- 
tific, and  Normal.  General  control  of  the  Academy  was 
vested  in  the  Presbytery  of  Montana,  but  its  management 
was  unsectarian. 

The  first  year's  enrollment  was  84,  counting  no  names 
twice.    At  the  end  of  five  years,  in  the  spring  of  1892,  the 


THE    BOZEMAN    ACADEMY. 


attendance  was  103,  without  music  pupils,  who  at  first  were 
a  considerable  part  of  the  enrollment.  The  Academy 's  work 
and  its  patronage  were  satisfactory.  It  is  believed  that 
none  of  its  students  failed  for  admission  in  the  best  colleges, 
on  the  grade  applied  for,  or  failed  in  other  studies  to  i-e- 
flect  credit  on  the  Academy  training. 

But  in  1893  the  State  College  of  Agriculture  and  Mechan- 
ic Arts  was  begun  in  Bozeman  with  government  support 
and  corresponding  advantages  too  great  to  justify  the  effort 
to  maintain  an  unendowed  school  in  the  same  community. 
In  view  of  tliis  the  Academv  was  closed  in  1892. 


56 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  HAMILTON   (GALLATIN  VALLEY). 

1.  "The    Stone    Church."  3.     Elder  Edward  M.  Davidson. 

2.  Rev.    Davis    Willson.  (The  Seminary  Buildings  to  the  left) 


THE   PREiSBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA. 


57 


ELDERS    OF    HAMILTON    CHURCH,    GALLATIN    VALLEY. 

1.  Franklyn  L.   Stone.*  4.     Thornton   A.    Street. 

2.  William   D.   Bell,    Sr.  5.     Alexander  Smith,  Sr. 

3.  Samuel    Bell**    and    Wife.  *Deceased  April  16,   1886. 

♦♦Deceased  April  7,  1902. 


5S  THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 
OF  HAMILTON. 

(The  following  History  of  the  Hamilton  Church  in  Galla- 
tin Valley  is  taken  from  the  historical  booklet  of  the  Boze- 
man  Church.) 

'^  Hamilton,  Montana  Territory,  June  3,  1872. 

This  village  was  first  visited  in  the  interests  of  Presby- 
terianism  by  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  Supt.  of  Territorial 
Missions,  on  Friday,  May  31st,  and  arrangements  made  for 
a  service  on  the  following  Monday. 

Organization — On  Monday,  June  3d,  Rev.  Messrs.  Jack- 
son and  Wm.  S.  Frackleton  went  out  to  Judge  Street's  on 
the  East  Gallatin,  where,  after  suitable  religious  services/ 
they  constituted  Mr.  J.  J.  Davidson  and  Miss  Adela  Street 
into  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hamilton,  Montana. 

Ruling  Elder — Mr.  J.  J.  Davidson  was  elected  and  in- 
stalled Ruling  Elder  for  one  year. 

Minister — Rev.  Wm.  S,  Frackleton,  of  Bozeman." 

The  above  minute  by  Dr.  Jackson  records  the  very  small 
beginning  of  the  second  existing  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Montana ;  an  organization  which  has  continued  for  twenty- 
five  years,  through  many  discouragements,  and  now  seems 
destined  for  enduring  growth  and  usefulness. 

The  first  recorded  meeting  of  session  was  Sept.  21,  1872; 
and  the  second,  March  31,  1877. 

On  the  latter  occasion  eight  members  were  added  by  let- 
ter, and  three  on  confession  of  faith. 

Mr.  Frackleton,  after  about  six  months'  service,  returned 
to  the  east  in  the  spring  of  1873,  leaving  the  church  with 
three  members.  To  him,  in  the  summer  of  1873,  the  Rev. 
L.  B.  Crittenden  succeeded,  and  served  until  May,  1881,  at 
which  time  the  membership  was  sixteen. 

In  1874  Mr.  Crittenden  opened  a  boarding  school  for  girls 
in  his  home  on  the  Culver  ranch.  He  afterwards  bought 
the  farm  where  the  church  now  stands,  near  the  old  town 
of  Hamilton  (a  hamlet  since  removed  to  Manhattan),  and 
added  to  the  log  dwelling  a  frame  school  room,  which  was 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  59 


occupied  Tliauksgiving  day,  1875,  as  the  Gallatin  Valley  Fe- 
male Seminary.  There  are  many  homes  in  the  valley  whose 
matrons  remember  that  school  as  their  one  opportunity  for 
Christian  education.  For  a  while  the  seminary  was  also 
the  meeting-house,  and  once  the  Montana  Presbytery  was 
entertained  and  held  its  sessions  there. 

In  1878  Mr.  Crittenden  began  building  of  '' concrete," 
what  is  known  as  ' '  the  stone  church, ' '  or  Hamilton  Church. 
Contributions  in  the  valley  and  Helena,  counting  work  and 
material,  amounted  to  $1,300.00.  A  Roman  Catholic  family 
gave  $50,  and  Mr.  Crittenden  gave  an  acre  of  land.  The 
Board  of  Church  Erection  appropriated  $500.  The  church 
stands  in  the  edge  of  a  beautiful  cottonwood  grove  that 
borders  the  West  Gallatin  river. 

The  dedication  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Crittenden  Sabbath 
morning,  January  19,  1879,  Eev.  C.  L.  Richards  preaching 
from  Acts  16:25.  Forty-five  persons  were  present,  attend- 
ance being  hindered  by  unbroken  roads  after  a  heavy  snow. 

Wlien  Father  Crittenden  became  unable  for  active  ser- 
vice, he  continued  to  officiate  occasionally  until  the  Rev. 
David  Walker  took  charge  in  June,  1885.  During  Mr. 
Walker's  ministry  of  two  years  the  net  increase  in  members 
was  from  18  to  28;  several  families  having  been  received 
from  the  Timberline  church,  and  other  members  dismissed 
to  form  the  Spring  Hill  church. 

Upon  Mr.  Walker's  resignation,  in  1887,  the  church  sent 
a  delegation  to  the  Rev.  R.  M.  Stevenson,  pastor  of  the 
Bozeman  church,  requesting  that  he  would  induce  one  of 
his  ''preaching  elders,"  Mr.  Davis  Willson,  to  ask  licensure 
of  Presbytery,  and  take  charge  of  the  valley  work.  The 
manner  of  the  call  seemed  to  Mr.  Willson  an  indication  of 
duty.  He  was  accordingly  licensed  at  Butte,  March  18, 
1887,  and  began  his  service  the  first  Sabbath  in  June  fol- 
lowing. 

October  13,  1889,  Mr.  Willson  was  ordained  by  Presby- 
tery at  Missoula.  He  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  Hamil- 
ton church  May  16,  1897,  Rev.  Alexander  K.  Baird,  D.  D., 


60  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN  MONTANA. 


preaching  the  sermon,  and  Rev.  E.  M.  Cavin  and  President 
James  Reid  assisting-  in  the  installation  services.  Two  Imn- 
dred  people  were  present,  the  largest  gathering  in  the  Ham- 
ilton church.  Mr.  Willson  began  with  28  members ;  he  has 
received  47,  granted  nine  letters  of  dismission  and  four  have 
died,  which  makes  a  present  membership  of  62. 

THE  GALLATIN  VALLEY  FEMALE  SEMINARY. 

(By  the  principal,  Mrs.  Mary  G.  Crittenden-Davidson.) 

In  1872,  my  father,  Rev.  Lyman  B.  Crittenden,  and  my- 
self opened  in  Bozemau,  an  Academy  for  boys  and  girls — 
a  missionary  school,  under  the  auspices  of  the  '' Ladies 
Home  Missionary  Board,"  N.  Y.  City,  at  that  time  organ 
for  the  ''Woman's  Home  Missionary"  work  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

Our  aim  was  to  give  a  Christian  education  to  the  young 
people  of  Bozeman  and  \'icinity.  Aid  from  the  Board  was 
given  not  only  in  the  way  of  supplement  to  our  own  sup]')ort, 
but  also  in  supplies  of  books  and  other  school  appliances, 
which  enabled  us  to  put  into  the  hands  of  our  pupils,  at 
little  or  no  cost  to  themselves,  the  best  implements  for  their 
work,  a  great  inducement  to  their  attendance  upon  the 
school. 

In  1873,  they  sent  us  a  tine  piano,  and  I  will  say  in  passing 
that  when  the  school  finally  broke  up,  on  the  marriage  of 
the  principal  to  Mr.  E.  M.  Davidson,  the  remaining  books 
were  given  to  the  Presbyterian  College  at  Deer  Lodge,  and 
the  iDiano,  by  an  offer  of  the  "Ladies  Home  Board"  to 
either  "buy  or  sell,"  went  into  the  hands  of  a  daughter  of 
one  of  them,  whose  husband  was  at  that  time  stationed  as 
an  officer  at  Fort  Ellis. 

In  the  fall  of  1874,  the  school  removed  20  miles  further 
down  the  valley  to  a  point  known  as  "the  old  Culver  Place" 
near  to  the  little  burg  of  Hamilton,  a  typical  western  town, 
one  store,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  school  house,  and  two  or 
three  dwellings.  No,  it  lacked  one  thing  of  being  ' '  typical, ' ' 
— it  had  no  saloon.  There  is  a  Hamilton  in  Montana  now, 
but  the  town  of  which  I  speak  many  years  ago  gave  place 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  61 


to  another  very  prosperous  railroad  town,  known  as  Man- 
hattan. 

At  this  place  was  opened  a  school  for  girls,  known  as  the 
''Gallatin  Valley  Female  Seminary,"  and  it  was  known 
far  and  near,  gathered  its  pupils  from  all  over  the  state 
(or  territory,  for  such  was  at  that  time  the  status  of  Mon- 
tana.) Its  daughters,  found  now  in  homes  of  their  own  in 
various  parts  of  our  state,  bear  testimony  by  loving  words 
of  praise  and,  far  more  effectively,  by  their  noble  Christian 
womanhood  to  character  founded  and  advantages  gained 
in  that  Christian  home  and  school. 

But  when,  a  quarter  of  a  century  having  intervened  be- 
tween the  closing  of  that  work  and  the  present  date,  I  am 
asked  to  give  to  the  public  some  pages  of  its  history,  I  am 
amazed  to  find  how  little  presents  itself  to  my  mind  as  suit- 
able for  that  purpose. 

The  curriculum  of  study  was  thorough  and  up  to  date, 
including  music,  vocal  and  instrumental,  and  all  these  ad- 
vantages, owing  to  the  missionary  aid  above  referred  to, 
we  were  able  to  place  at  such  low"  figures  that  many  who 
could  not  have  availed  themselves  of  more  expensive  school- 
ing, were  able  to  patronize  the  G.  V.  P.  S.  and  to  keep  their 
daughters  there,  as  many  did  for  many  consecutive  terms. 

On  Thanksgiving  Day  of  1875,  the  school  again  changed 
homes  from  the  "Culver  Place"  to  one  more  commodious, 
six  miles  further  up  the  valley,  where  the  little  stone  church, 
known  to  the  Synod,  as  the  ''Mother  Church"  of  all  the 
Hamilton  circuit,  now  stands. 

During  all  its  life  the  G.  V.  F.  S.  furnished  accommoda- 
tions for  from  ten  to  twelve  boarding  students  and  about 
the  same  number  of  day  pupils,  and  its  numbers  were  pretty 
well  filled, — the  latter  class  coming,  some  on  foot  for  two 
or  three  miles  around,  but  more  on  horseback  from  dis- 
tances of  five  or  ten  miles. 

But  it  is  in  its  character  as  a  Christian  home,  set  down  in 
the  midst  of  bachelors'  cabins  and  widely  scattered  cabin 
homes,  that  the  school  exerted  its  greatest  etforts  and  in 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 


REV.    LYMAN    B.    CRITTENDEN*    AND    MRS.    MARY    G.    CRITTENDEN- 
DAVIDSON.     FROM  A  PHOTOGRAPH  TAKEN  IN   1872. 
♦Deceased  June  12,   1892. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  63 


MRS.   LYMAN  B.    CRITTENDEN,*   FROM  A   PHOTOGRAPH  TAKEN  IN   1S72. 
♦Deceased  October  2,  1SS5. 


64  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   OHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

that  character  is  most  fondly  remembered.  As  an  illustra- 
tion of  this,  permit  a  little  personal  anecdote.  Talking  with 
one  of  my  former  pupils  a  few  years  ago,  I  spoke  regret- 
fully of  the  fact,  that  our  homes  were  not  coming  fully  up, 
in  some  respects,  to  the  spiritual  standard  set  for  us  in  the 
old  "Seminary  Home."  Her  reply  was,  "Don't  you  know 
that  your  father  and  mother  were  Saints?" 

That  dear  father  and  mother  welcomed  every  girl  that 
entered  the  doors  of  the  school  as  a  true  daughter,  and 
treated  her  as  such  during  all  her  stay,  and  they  were  in 
turn  regarded  as  true  father  and  mother,  and  always  remem- 
bered as  such;  while  the  two  teachers  are  still  looked  upon 
and  spoken  of  as  dear  older  sisters  by  those  who  were  in 
those  days  their  pupils,  but  regarded  by  them  in  many  things 
as  younger  sisters  and  companions,  as  together  teacher  and 
scholar  met  the  joys  and  trials  and  varied  experiences,  do- 
mestic and  social,  of  their  daily  home  and  school  life. 

Our  daily  routine  was  as  follows : 

Breakfast  at  six;  family  worship  at  6:30,  where  the  scrip- 
ture lesson  was  always  followed  by  a  sacred  song,  accom- 
panied by  the  piano,  generally  by  one  of  the  teachers,  but 
very  frequently  by  one  of  the  pupils,  (it  was  the  ambition  of 
each  music  pupil  to  reach  that  point  in  her  studies  where 
she  might  be  called  upon  to  perform  this  service),  the  long 
busy  day  in  the  school  room,  where  we  gathered  at  9:00, 
repeated  our  motto  text  for  the  day,  always  placed  upon  the 
board  in  readiness  to  greet  the  first  pupil  to  enter  the  room, 
read  our  short  scripture  lesson  and  committed  ourselves 
to  an  All-Father's  guidance  for  the  day.  The  noon  lunch- 
eon, partaken  of  by  day  scholars  and  boarders  together  in 
the  school  room,  thus  giving  them  the  noon  hour  for  chit 
chat,  the  family  gathering  at  the  table  at  5:30,  recreation 
hour  till  7,  study  in  school  room  till  9,  then  the  reunion  in 
the  parlor  for  evening  worship,  with  its  scripture,  hymn  and 
prayer.  The  Sabbath  with  its  invariable  "Safely  through 
another  week,"  for  morning  hymn,  its  many  times  simple 
home  service  in  the  school  room,  and  other  times,  when  some 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


kind  neigli1)or,  (we  remember  especially  in  this  connection, 
the  kindness  of  that  well  known  pioneer  farmer,  Henry 
Heeb),  would  bring  wagon  or  sleigh  and  load  ns  all  in, — 
pastor  (the  school-fatlier  was  also  the  pastor  of  the  people 
scattered  over  thirty  miles),  the  school-mother,  teachers, 
pupils,  and  the  little  portable  melodeon,  to  be  used  by  one  of 
our  number  in  helping  out  the  song  service,  and  take  us 
over  the  prairies,  singing  as  we  went,  to  some  little  country 
school  house,  where  the  bread  of  life  was  dispensed  to  wait- 
ing souls, — then  home  to  a  cheery  family  meal,  and  evening 
spent  in  sacred  song,  while  we  stood  about  the  piano,  our 
arms  linked  or  circled  about  one  another, 

Wednesday  afternoons  all  the  day  and  boarding- 
pupils  laid  aside  the  routine  of  ordinary  duties  and 
gathered  in  the  parlor,  pl}dng  busy  needles  on  their 
loved  fancy  work,  under  the  direction  of  dear  Miss  Ayles- 
worth,  wliile  one  of  their  number  was  often  called  upon  for 
a  song  or  a  reading,  and  never  allowed  to  refuse,  unless  for 
a  good  reason.  Friday  evenings  were  devoted  to  home 
amusements,  in  which  the  whole  family  joined,  music  and 
conversation,  often  varied  by  the  presence  of  a  few  in^dted, 
— still  more  frequently  self-invited, — guests,  for  all  knew 
our  customs  and  the  Seminary  was  ' '  Our  Seminary ' '  to  all 
within  its  reach. 

What  these  things  meant  in  a  time  when  there  was  scarcely 
any  available  amusement  but  dancing  and  card  placing, — 
when  the  Sabbath  had  but  little  to  distinguish  it  from  other 
days, — in  a  country  whose  magnificent  distances  forbade  the 
forming  of  clubs,  benevolent  or  other  societies,  for  mutual 
benefit  or  enjoyment,  and  the  homes  were  possessed  of  but 
few  means  of  culture  and  refinement,  can  hardly  be  real- 
ized in  our  present  state  of  advanced  ci\41ization. 

Perhaps  the  influence  of  this  pioneer  Christian  home  in 
one  direction  cannot  be  better  illustrated  than  by  a  young 
farmer  of  that  time  who  said,  "When  I  haul  hay  on  Sun- 
day, I'll  go  two  or  three  miles  out  of  my  way  rather  than 
drive  past  the  Seminary."     And  what  it  was  to  the  girls 


€6  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

themselves  is  partially  told  by  one  of  tliem  in  a  letter,  reply- 
ing to  a  request  that  she  would  assist  me  in  preparing  this 
sketch.  Among  other  things  she  says,  "I  fancy  that  most 
country-bred  children  experience  at  some  time  a  sort  of 
mental  thraldom,  particularly  if  living  much  apart  from 
others,  as  we  were.  It  was  the  Seminary  that  first  brought 
an  awakening  to  me,  so  you  can  imagine  that  incidents,  cal- 
culated to  interest  the  outside  world,  have  been  of  minor 
importance  in  my  recollections." 

The  Seminary  ''Faculty"  consisted  of  Rev.  L.  B.  Critten- 
den, Superintendent,  Mrs.  L.  B.  Crittenden,  drawing  teacher 
and  sometimes  assistant  in  other  branches,  but  pre-eminent- 
ly "School  Mother,"  Mary  G.  Crittenden,  Principal,  and 
Miss  Ella  Aylesworth  (now  Mrs.  Edsall),  instructor.  For 
a  few  months  at  one  time,  in  Miss  Aylesworth 's  absence. 
Miss  Mabel  Russel,  now  Mrs.  Alfred  Myers  of  the  Sweet 
Grass  country,  acted  as  assistant  teacher. 

At  one  communion  season  during  a  meeting  of  Presbytery 
which  held  its  sessions  in  the  Seminary  school  room,  seven 
of  its  daughters  took  upon  themselves  the  vows  of  Christ's 
followers.  So  far  as  I  have  known  all  have  proved  faithful, 
^'witnessing  a  good  confession." 

The  dear  old  Seminary  was  a  seed  sowing  institution ;  the 
harvest  can  be  estimated  only  in  eternity. 

(In  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson's  Montana  Scrap-book  we  find 
the  following  announcement:  "Married — On  the  26th  day 
of  June,  1878,  at  the  Gallatin  Female  Seminary,  by  the 
bride's  father.  Rev.  L.  B.  Crittenden,  Edward  M.  Davidson, 
Esq.,  to  Miss  Mary  Gertrude  Crittenden.  Attendants,  H. 
J.  Wright,  Miss  Ella  Aylesworth.  The  ceremony  was  per- 
formed under  the  shade  of  a  large  tree  (shown  in  the  pic- 
ture of  the  'Seminary  Home,')  near  the  residence  and  was 
witnessed  by  a  large  concourse  of  the  friends  of  the  happy 
parties,  who  had  come  from  various  parts  of  Gallatin  and 
other  counties.  A  very  interesting  feature  of  the  occasion 
was  the  large  number  of  young  ladies,  pupils  of  the  bride, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


67 


THE     GALLATIN  VALLEY     FEMALE     SEMINARY. 
The  Seminary  Home.  Mrs.   Ella  Aylesworth — Ed.sall. 

The  tree   under   which  Miss  Alary   G.    Crittenden   and   Edward   M.    Davidson 
were  married  on  June  26.  ISTS. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


who  were  present  to  cheer  her  on     the    happy  journey  in 
life." 

Another  writer  in  tlie  same  Serap-book  says,  under  date 
of  1876:  ''No  church  in  Montana  is  so  blessed  in  spiritual 
things  as  this  school ;  no  church  can  point  to  so  many  hope- 
ful conversions  in  its  membership,  Mr.  Crittenden  Is  not 
what  would  be  called  a  popular  minister,  but  he  is  devout, 
earnest  and  sound.  He  is  far  more  useful  than  he  would  be 
were  he  to  attempt  the  modern  'popular  style.'  ") 

THE  HISTOEY  OF  THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH  OF  HELENA. 
Part  of  the  Anniversary  Address  delivered  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  V.  Moore,  D.  D.,  on  June  20th,  1897. 
THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  1872. 
The  way  was  prepared  for  the  organization  in  Helena  in 
1872  by  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Russel  coming  two  weeks  before  the 
organization  and  preaching  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  the  court  house.  Mr.  Russel  was  met  from  the 
first  with  good  audiences,  and  with  considerable  interest  on 
the  part  of  the  people  in  the  organization  of  a  Presbyterian 
church.  Twenty  members  instead  of  twelve  were  found  to 
join  themselves  together.  Of  these,  six  of  the  former  organ- 
ization remained:  Mrs.  D.  H.  Cuthbert,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Wool- 
folk,  Mrs.  A.  0  'Connell,  Mrs.  T.  H.  Kleinschmidt,  Mrs.  John 
R.  Deal,  Mrs.  J.  J.  Williams.  The  other  14  names  were :  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  E.  Pyle,  A.  T.  Williams,  Mrs.  Koenigsberger, 
Mrs.  Samuel  Neel,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Taylor,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Sanders, 
Mrs.  Fenn,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Walker,  Mrs.  R.  E.  Fisk,  J.  C.  Walk- 
er, Mrs.  H.  M.  Parchen,  and  ]\[r.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Lovell. 
These  met  in  the  old  court  house  on  Saturday  evening,  June 
15th,  and  organized  by  the  election  of  Messrs.  J.  E.  Pyle  and 
A.  T.  Williams  as  elders,  and  Messrs.  R.  E.  Fisk  and  A.  M. 
Walker  as  "temporary  trustees."  Of  these  there  still  re- 
main with  us  today  four:  Mrs.  D.  H.  Cuthbert  (a  member 
of  the  first  organization  in  1869),  Mrs.  Pyle,  Mrs.  Sanders 
and  Mrs.  Parchen. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


69 


THE   FIRST   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   OF   HELENA. 

1.  Rev.   Thomas   Verner  Moore,   D.   D.  5.     Elder    George    Clinton    Swallow.* 

2.  Mrs.  T.  V.  Moore.  6.     Elder    Ebenezer    Sharpe.** 

3.  Rev.   Samuel  A.   Harlow  *Deceased   April,    1S99. 


4     Rev   W.    Scott    Stites. 


**Deceased    April    19,    1901. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


The  next  day,  Sunday,  June  16tli,  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson 
preached  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  morning  and 
evening  and  held  a  communion  service  for  the  new  congre- 
gation in  the  afternoon  at  four  o'clock,  at  which  the  elders 
elect  were  ordained. 

We  may  distinguish  four  periods  in  the  life  of  this 
church.  They  may  be  called:  First — The  Period  of  Early 
Growth — seven  years,  extending  from  the  organization  in 
June,  1872,  through  the  labors  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Russel,  Rev.  AV. 
C.  Rommel  and  Rev.  J.  D.  Hewitt,  down  to  the  spring  of 
1879. 

Second — The  Period  of  Vicissitudes — six  years,  from  the 
departure  of  Mr.  Hewitt  in  1879  through  the  labors  of  Rev. 
George  G.  Smith  (not  the  one  previously  mentioned),  Rev. 
W.  Scott  Stites,  Rev.  William  B.  Reed,  Rev.  Samuel  A. 
Harlow  and  up  to  the  second  year  of  the  present  pastor's 
work,  in  the  beginning  of  1885. 

Third — The  Period  of  Expansion — seven  years,  opening 
with  the  great  revival  in  the  beginning  of  1885  and  extend- 
ing to  the  occupancy  of  the  present  edifice  in  March,  1892. 

Fourth — The  Period  of  Consolidation — five  years,  from 
March,  1892,  unto  the  present  time. 

PERIOD  I.    EARLY  GROWTH. 

(June,  1872,  to  the  Spring  of  1879.) 
This  was  in  many  respects  the  most  important  and  happy 
stage  of  the  church's  life.  These  were  the  days  of  begin- 
nings, always  so  fascinating  to  contemplate.  The  first 
regular  Sunday  services,  as  a  separate  congregation  with 
its  own  minister  and  its  individual  future  before  it,  were 
held  for  three  months  in  the  old  academy  on  South  Rodney 
Street,  where  Mr.  Reinig's  store  now  stands,  and  after- 
wards in  the  Odd  Fellows'  hall  on  Main  Street,  upper  story 
of  the  Dunphy  block,  above  the  Cruse  bank.  The  first  week- 
night  prayer  meeting  was  begun  Xovember  7th,  1872  at 
the  home  of  J.  C.  Walker,  shortly  after  the  coining  of  Mr. 
Rommel.  The  first  Sunday  school  of  our  own  was  begun 
in  the  autumn  of  1873,  after  the  church  services  had  been 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


71 


removed  from  Odd  Fellows'  hall  to  the  court  house,  previous 
to  which  time  the  Presbyterians  had  remained  in  the  Meth- 
odist school  and  worked  with  them. 

These  were  also  days  of  peace.  Days,  too,  when  all  seem- 
ed to  share  in  the  enthusiasm  of  the  new  enterprise.  They 
were  marked  by  the  two  longest  periods  of  service  that  any 
ministers  have  rendered  until  the  present  pastorate ;  that  of 
Rev.  William  C.  Rommel,  of  four  years,  a  man  greatly  be- 
loved by  the  entire  community,  who  exercised  the  strongest 
influence  of  all  this  church's  ministers,  whose  name  is  best 


THE    OLD    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH     OF    HELENA.       BUILT    IN     1876. 

remembered  today,  and  whose  work  will  always  abide ;  that 
of  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Hewitt,  next  to  Mr.  Rommel  the  minister 
who  is  oftenest  spoken  of  and  who  seems  to  have  left  the 
next  deepest  impression.  Then  too  the  first  church  was 
built,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $12,000,  and  dedicated,  free  of 
debt,  August  13,  1876,  under  Mr.  Rommel's  pastorate,  and 
furnished  complete,  even  to  hair  cushions,  under  Mr.  Hew- 
itt's. An  energetic  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  which  still  survives, 
was  established  in  1874,  to  raise    money    for     building  a 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


churcli.  It  was  a  time  of  struggle  for  existence,  and  the 
raising  of  money  was  a  prominent  part  of  chnrcli  activities. 
But  there  was  no  little  earnest  spiritual  work  done  by  the 
ministers ;  there  were  conversions  to  Christ  in  considerable 
numbers  in  Montana  in  those  days,  and  at  least  one  time 
of  distinct  re^dval  when  special  services  were  held  for  a 
week  by  Mr.  Hewitt,  beginning  May  13,  1877,  and  several 
united  with  the  church.  The  church  increased  its  gifts  and 
by  the  end  of  this  period  seems  to  have  reached  the  point 
of  nominal  self-support;  at  least  where  it  became  inde- 
pendent of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions.  This  was  cer- 
tainly a  great  length  to  progress  in  seven  years,  starting 
from  the  bottom  and  in  such  circumstances. 

This  period  was  not  without  its  serious  difficulties. 
Prominent  among  them  was  the  task  of  welding  together  the 
heterogeneous  elements  which  composed  the  membership  of 
the  church  itself.  Those  who  were  now  gathered  together 
in  one  church  had  come  from  widely  separated  places,  and 
had  had  the  most  diverse  church  training  and  customs.  The 
first  membership  came  from  Engand,  Ireland,  Canada  and 
fourteen  different  states  of  the  Union.  The  bitter  feelings 
of  the  civil  war  were  still  fresh  and  both  sides  were  strongly 
represented  in  the  church  as  well  as  in  the  town.  Then  also 
these  people  had  not  all  been  Presbyterians,  but  many  of 
them  members  of  other  denominations  up  to  this  time,  as  is 
generally  the  case  in  western  churches. 

Outside  the  church  itself  the  obstacles  were  aL««o  great. 
Probably  the  general  atmosphere  of  a  community  in  which, 
as  Mr.  Eommel  reports,  some  of  the  ladies  could  seriously 
propose  a  dance  to  raise  money  for  it  and  two  gentlemen 
could  engage  in  a  "lively  scrimmage"  which  ''threatened 
pistols"  in  a  discussion  over  the  minister's  sermon  on, 
"Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart" — such  an  atmosphere  prob- 
ably was  less  favorable  to  Christian  growth  and  the  ob- 
stacles greater  in  the  way  of  church  work  than  at  any  time 
since  in  the  history  of  Helena. 

Two  great  fires  swept  the  town,  the  first  on  August  23, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


1872,  whicli  destroyed  more  than  sixty  houses  and  put  an 
end  for  the  present  to  the  incipient  enterprise  of  building 
a  church,  and  the  second,  still  more  disastrous,  in  January, 
1874.  The  depression  and  exodus  two  years  later  in  1876, 
took  away  members  who  could  ill  be  spared.  In  the  very 
midst  of  this  general  depression,  during  the  week  following 
the  dedication  of  the  new  building,  in  August,  1876,  the 
beloved  pastor,  Mr.  Rommel,  was  compelled  on  account  of 
ill  health  to  leave,  and  the  church  remained  for  more  than 
six  months  without  a  pastor,  while  even  the  two  original 
elders,  Mr.  Pyle  and  Mr,  Williams,  were  both  absent.  But 
in  spite  of  all  this  the  church  held  bravely  on  and  responded 
quickly  to  Mr.  Hewitt's  elTorts  when  he  did  arrive.  The 
church  was  united  and  harmonious  and  remained  so  through 
this  period. 

PERIOD  11.    VICISSITUDES. 

(Spring  of  1879  to  January,  1885.) 
Would  that  this  happy  condition  might  have  continued! 
But  here  the  church  enters  upon  a  period  which,  as  a  whole, 
it  is  never  pleasant  to  contemplate,  in  spite  of  some  very 
bright  features  in  it. 

The  resignation  of  elder,  deacon  and  trustee  at  the  congre- 
gational meeting  of  December  16th,  indicate  that  trouble 
seriously  affecting  the  inner  life  of  the  church  had  arisen. 
Wliat  this  trouble  was,  or  who  the  parties  were,  or  what 
connection  it  had,  if  any,  with  the  events  of  the  next  few 
years,  I  am  unable  to  say.  I  mention  it  because  it  was 
ominous  of  what  was  to  follow. 

The  church  suffered  more  than  can  be  estimated  by  fre- 
quent changes  of  ministers,  who  followed  one  another  in 
quick  succession  until  five  had  ministered  to  it  in  less  than 
three  years  and  a  half.  No  set  of  men,  however  able,  could 
do  either  themselves  or  the  work  justice  in  such  short  terms. 
And  every  change  meant  a  check,  if  not  a  loss,  to  the  church. 
Even  the  most  deeply  interested  and  devout  ones  became 
discouraged,  some  almost  ready  to  give  up.  At  the  opening 
of  this  period,  also,  in  1879,  the  two  original  elders  had 


THE  PRESBf TBRIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


died,  leaving  the  clmrcli  for  a  year  with  but  one  living  elder, 
Judge  Cornelius  Hedges. 

Here  let  me  pause  to  record  the  tribute  which  history 
renders  to  the  fidelity  in  these  times  of  one  man  in  the 
church.  The  records  show  that  for  many  months  at  a  time 
after  his  election  in  1876,  Judge  Hedges  was  often  the  only 
available  elder.  During  the  long  absence  and  illness  of 
brothers  Pyle  and  Williams,  and  for  a  year  after  Mr.  Pyle  's 
death,  the  responsibility  of  the  eldership  rested  practically 
upon  him  alone.  Amid  general  discouragement,  through 
many  vicissitudes  and  great  troubles,  let  it  ever  be  remem- 
bered to  the  honor  of  our  present  senior  elder,*  that  he  never 
despaired  or  refused  to  stand  in  the  place  to  which  the 
church  had  called  him. 

This  period,  however,  is  not  without  its  bright  side.  For 
the  most  part  the  church  was  happy  in  the  character  of  its 
ministers.  Faithful,  devoted,  able  men.  Rev.  George  G. 
Smith,  Eev.  W.  Scott  Stites,  and  Rev.  Samuel  A.  Harlow 
ministered  to  it  and  all  did  good  work,  which  still  abides. 
Substantial  advancement  also  marks  the  time.  A  parson- 
age was  built  in  1882.  The  beginning  of  the  work  at  the 
Northern  Pacific  depot  was  made,  resulting  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  promising  church  there  of  now  82  members, 
with  flourishing  Sunday  School  and  a  minister  of  its  own. 
The  work  began  very  humbly.  A^-Tien  the  railroad  came 
through  Helena  in  the  summer  of  1883,  I  began  going  down 
to  the  station  Sunday  afternoons,  accompanied  sometimes 
by  Robert  Russell,  one  of  our  deacons,  or  Dr.  Thomas 
Eckles,  then  an  unbeliever  but  always  ready  to  help  in  the 
good  work.  He  went  to  sing.  Services  were  on  the  plat- 
form and  in  the  waiting  room ;  and  not  infrequently  passen- 
gers from  a  passing  train  would  join  us  and  thank  us  for 
spiritual  refreshment  by  the  way.  In  December  of  that 
year  the  railroad  company  offered  us  two  lots  where  the 
Oakes  Street  Methodist  church  now  stands,  provided  that 
we  would  build  a  $600  church  within  a  year.     But  our  own 

*  Note— Judge     Hedges     passed     away  April  29,  1907. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  7b 


church  had  a  debt  of  over  $2,000,  and  there  was  no  organi- 
zation in  that  part  of  town ;  the  lots  also  were  considered  too 
far  out,  and  they  passed  from  us. 

In  February,  1884,  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  was 
organized,  largely  through  the  inspiration  of  Mrs.  Char- 
lotte 0.  Van  Cleve,  of  Minneapolis,  who  visited  us  for  this 
purpose. 

The  church  also  received  during  this  period  a  number  of 
valuable  and  permanent  additions  to  its  membership  from 
the  people  who  were  coming  from  the  east  in  increasing 
numbers,  among  whom  I  may  name  without  invidious  dis- 
tinction, one  who  is  now  an  elder,  and  who  from  his  arrival 
among  us  has  been  helpful  and  active,  especially  in  evangel- 
istic and  Sunday  School  work,  Mr.  E.  Sharpe.* 
PERIOD  III.  ENLARGEMENT. 
(January,  1885,  to  March,  1892.) 

The  beginning  of  the  next  period  is  sharply  defined. 
Among  those  who  came  among  us  in  1884  were  Col.  Charles 
Bird,  an  army  officer,  and  Rev.  T.  A.  Wickes.  These  were 
earnest  laborers  for  Christ  and  thorough  believers  in  pray- 
er and  personal  work.  They  at  once  joined  hands  with  the 
workers  already  here,  particularly  in  the  Sunday  School. 
In  the  autumn  of  that  year  a  young  men's  prayer  meeting 
was  held  in  a  very  informal  way  in  Col.  Bird's  office  Fri- 
day evenings.  The  Week  of  Prayer  of  1885  was  a  time  of 
more  than  usual  interest.  But  none  of  us  knew  all  that  God 
was  working  for  us  in  the  secret  places  of  men's  hearts.  The 
Sunday  following  the  Week  of  Prayer  I  was  confined  to  the 
house  in  the  evening  with  a  severe  cold.  Instead  of  the 
usual  service,  therefore,  a  praise  and  prayer  meeting  for 
young  people  was  held  by  Mr,  Sharpe,  Col.  Bird  and  Mr. 
Wickes,  at  which  all  who  desired  to  accept  Christ  were  ask- 
ed to  say  so.  A  young  man  rose  whom  no  one  knew  was 
ready  to  take  the  step,  and  spoke  a  few  words.  Then  one 
after  another  a  number  of  young  men  and  girls  followed. 
The  brethren  were  taken  by  surprise.    A  Pentecostal  quick- 

*  Note— Mr      Sharpe  died  April  19,  1901. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


ening  had  descended  upon  us.  T  well  remember  the  breath- 
less eagerness  and  joy  with  which  these  brethren  came 
around  to  the  manse  when  the  service  was  over  to  tell  me 
the  glad  news  and  confer  about  a  continuance  of  the  meet- 
ings. It  was,  of  course,  decided  to  go  on.  And  when,  Tues- 
day, it  became  evident  that  I  could  not  conduct  them,  Rev. 
R.  M.  Stevenson  of  Bozeman,  was  called  by  telegraph  and 
was  with  us  by  Wednesday  evening.  Brother  Stevenson 
proved  a  powerful  evangelist,  and  at  the  end  of  two  weeks 
of  nightly  preaching,  more  than  fifty  persons  came  for- 
ward, one  Sunday,  in  response  to  his  invitation  to  indicate 
that  they  had  found  Christ  in  these  services. 

This,  however,  was  but  the  beginning.  One  by  one  the 
other  churches  joined  us.  The  blessing  spread.  Meetings 
were  held  in  their  places  of  worship.  Evangelist  Munhall 
was  asked  to  come  and  help  us  in  the  spring,  and  he  held 
union  services  in  the  opera  house  for  three  weeks.  After 
his  leaving  these  meetings  were  still  continued  three  times 
a  week  in  the  ditferent  churches.  ¥oy  four  months,  from 
January  until  late  in  May,  special  meetings  were  thus  held. 
It  was  a  time  of  wonderful  power,  such  as  Helena  has  not 
seen  before  or  since.  The  whole  town  was  quickened.  Num- 
bers were  added  to  all  the  churches.  A  strong  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  was  organized  and  maintained 
for  several  years,  chiefly  by  members  of  this  church.  Our 
own  church  received  88  new  members  in  the  years  1884  and 

1885,  64  of  them  on  confession  of  Christ.  Among  them  was 
our  beloved  Dr.  Eckles,  afterwards  Sunday  School  superin- 
tendent, and  other  still  valued  members.  Our  membership 
rose  from  95  in  the  spring  of  1884  to  158  in  the  spring  of 

1886,  and  by  1889  to  232.  The  whole  church  was  lifted  to 
a  higher  plane  and  entered  upon  a  new  era  of  fuller  life, 
broader  activity  and  more  vigorous  growth.  It  has  been  a 
different  church  ever  since. 

Now  first  the  church  became  really  self-sustaining.  It  is 
true,  it  had  long  since  ceased  to  ask  aid  from  the  Board  of 
Home   Missions.     Nevertheless,   it     remained     dependent. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH  IN   MONTANA.  77 

There  was  a  regailar  annual  deficit,  wliicli  was  often  made 
Tip  in  part  by  a  miscellaneous  appeal  to  Main  Street.  The 
church  now  came  to  depend  upon  its  own  members  and  upon 
those  really  in  some  way  connected  with  it,  or  interested 
in  it. 

The  regular  system  of  benevolent  contributions,  still 
maintained,  to  all  of  the  Boards  of  the  Church  and  other 
causes  was  instituted  at  this  time.  The  mission  work  at  the 
Northern  Pacific  depot,  was  assumed  by  the  church,  and 
February  19,  1889,  E.  D.  SnifSn  was  appointed  by  the  ses- 
sion to  take  charge.  He  rented  a  hall  and  fitted  it  up  at  his 
own  expense.  Later  in  the  same  year  two  lots  and  a  neat 
chapel  were  acquired  on  the  north  side  of  the  Northern  Pa- 
cific railway.  In  the  summer  of  this  year  a  minister  was  ob- 
tained for  this  field  and  an  independent  church  organized, 
to  which,  however,  we  continued  for  a  long  time  to  send 
helpers.  Three  other  mission  schools  were  carried  on  in 
this  period;  the  Bethany,  begun  in  October,  1889,  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  city,  with  W.  F.  Cummins  as  superin- 
tendent; and  the  Chinese  Sunday  school,  held  in  our  room 
in  the  Denver  block  in  the  summer  of  1891,  with  Mrs.  Mason 
as  superintendent. 

On  May  17,  1886,  a  young  people's  social  club  was  organ- 
ized, which  on  February  28th,  1887,  assumed  the  specific 
form  of  a  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor.  My  impression  is 
that  this  was  the  first  Christian  Flndeavor  Society  organized 
west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains. 

Early  in  1886  also  the  idea  of  building  was  first  sug- 
gested. It  originated  chiefly  in  the  needs  of  the  Sunday 
School.  Our  old  church,  once  the  source  of  so  much  pride, 
had  in  ten  years  become  dilapidated  and  draughty.  The 
building,  too,  had  become  quite  inadequate  for  the  Sunday 
school.  It  was  overcrowded  at  that  service.  The  stitf 
benches  were  trying  to  both  teacher  and  class.  The  ever 
vigorous  primary  departmeut,  of  which  Mrs.  AA".  A.  Ches:-- 
man  has  been  out  of  mind  the  most  efficient  and  devoted 
head,  was  not  in  those  days  to  her  a  source  of  unalloyed 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


pleasure  during  the  Sunday  school  hour.  They  were  coii- 
fiued  to  the  gallery,  which  had  a  low  rail  in  front,  over 
which  adventurous  and  energetic  infants  of  inquiring  minds 
were  continually  straining  and  balancing,  to  the  imminent 
peril  of  their  necks  and  the  infinite  anxiety  of  their  solicitous 
superintendent.  After  many  remedies  had  been  proposed, 
including  repairs,  additions,  remodeling  and  enlargement 
of  the  structure,  the  congregation  finally  decided  to  rebuild. 
A  committee  consisting  of  Col.  W.  P.  Sanders,  T.  H.  Klein- 
schmidt.  Col.  Bird  and  the  pastor  was  appointed,  July  19, 
1888,  to  recommend  a  suitable  lot,  and  the  present  site  was 
chosen  by  the  congregation.  Plans  were  adopted  in  Sep- 
tember for  a  new  church  of  two  stories,  with  a  parsonage 
attached. 

But  here  matters  dragged.  The  old  church  was  not  sold 
until  November,  1889,  nor  the  foundation  for  the  new  build- 
ing laid  until  the  spring  of  1890.  But  in  that  year,  under 
the  energetic  leadership  of  Judge  McConnell,  president,  and 
the  new  board  of  trustees,  elected  November,  1890,  the  mat- 
ter was  pushed  forward.  The  plans  were  so  modified  as  to 
reduce  the  church  proper  to  a  one  story  building,  abolish 
the  parsonage  and  put  the  present  Sunday  school  in  its 
place.  The  corner  of  the  Sunday  school  was  laid  August  5, 
1891,  and  the  first  service  held  here  March  13,  1892.  For 
nearly  two  years  preceeding  we  had  been  worshipping  Sun- 
days in  the  district  court- room  and  Wednesday  evenings  in 
our  cozy  church  parlors,  first  in  the  Grandon  and  then  in 
the  Denver  buildings,  which  we  still  remember  with  delight. 

This  period  ended,  as  it  had  begun,  in  a  remarkable  re- 
vival under  the  leadership  of  Francis  Murphy,  the  noted 

gospel  temperance  worker,  who  came  here  in  the  summer  of 
•1  oq-j  **** 

PERIOD  IV.     CONSOLIDATION. 
(March,  1892  to  June,  1897.) 
The  five  years  we  have  worshipped  in  this  building,  since 
March  13,  1892,  I  have  called  the  period  of  consolidation. 
Three  new  organizations  of  the  greatest  importance  have 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IX  MONTANA. 


been  added  to  the  macliiuery  of  our  church  Tvork  in  this 
period.  On  April  6,  1892,  a  work  was  begun  among  the 
smaller  children  in  the  form  of  a  Mission  Band,  which  a 
year  later  was  changed  into  the  Junior  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  under  the  efficient  leadership  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Com- 
mon, who  has  been  in  charge  of  it  ever  since.  On  January 
10,  1895,  the  Helping  Hand  Society  was  organized,  and  has 
ever  been  a  most  valuable  assistant  to  the  pastor  in  his  pas- 
toral work,  especially  in  visiting  strangers  in  the  city  and 
new  members  of  the  church.     The  third  organization  was 


THE   HELENA    PRESBYTERIAN   CPIURCH.      DEDICATED   IN   1905 

the  Finance  Committee.  This  was  formed  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Mrs.  George  K.  Reeder,  ably  supported  by  several 
other  ladies  and  gentlemen,  in  the  summer  of  1894  for  the 
purpose  of  providing  the  pastor's  salary.**** 

Complete  statistics  of  what  our  church  has  done  in  these 
twenty-five  j^ears  are  not  obtainable.  But  partial  statistics 
show  that  there  have  been  gathered  into  our  membership  at 
least  641  persons,  257  on  confession  of  Christ  and  the  rest 
by  letter;  77  adults  and  233  infants  have  been  baptized.  And 
the  cliureh  lias  contributed  in  the  same  twentv-five  vears: 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IX   MONTANA. 


to  congregational  purposes  about  $90,626,  to  beneficences 
about  $10,613,  a  total  of  $101,239. 

(Rev.  William  N.  Sloan,  Ph.  D.,  succeeded  Mr.  Moore  as 
pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Helena  on  Xo- 
vember  1st,  1898.  Under  his  leadership  and  with  modified 
plans  the  church  building  project  has  been  carried  to  com- 
pletion. The  dedication  services  were  held  on  October  29, 
1905,  Rev.  Robert  F.  Coyle,  D.  D.  of  Denver,  Colorado, 
preaching  the  sermon.) 

EARLY  REMINISCENCES. 

(An  address  delivered  by  Judge  Cornelius  Hedges  at  the 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  celebration  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Helena.) 

In  undertaking  to  write  a  sketch  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Helena  for  the  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary,  after 
much  research  among  my  diaries  and  all  accessible  means 
for  reliable  information  possessing  sufficient  definiteness 
and  accuracy  to  deserve  the  name  of  history,  I  find  myself 
incapable  of  doing  the  subject  justice,  and  had  I  realized 
my  ignorance  sooner,  should  have  declined  the  task.  I  am 
not  an  original  Presbyterian.  I  was  reared  a  Congregation- 
alist,  and  my  first  church  connection  was  with  the  college 
at  New  Haven,  and  next  in  my  native  town  of  Westfield, 
Massachusetts,  where  all  my  ancestors  and  relatives  were 
Congregationalists.  For  a  time  in  Iowa,  before  coming  to 
Montana,  I  was  connected  with  a  Presbyterian  emircli  at 
Independence,  but  later  resumed  connection  with  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Southington,  Connecticut,  my  wife's 
native  town,  and  it  continued  until  1873,  after  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Helena  church.  So  I  am  not  one  of  the  first 
members  of  this  church,  and  others  still  living  and  present 
with  us  can  tell  you  more  of  its  beginning.  I  have  lived 
in  Helena  about  from  its  first  settlement,  arriving  here  in 
January,  1865,  with  Brother  Wilcox,  when  Helena  was  only 
a  mining  camp,  with  out  a  school  or  church  of  any  kind,  and 
when  Sunday  was  distinguished  from  other  days  chiefly  by 


S2  THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

greater  activity  in  business  and  amusements  of  decidedly  nn- 
ortliodox  kinds. 

The  first  attempt  at  anything  like  religious  observance  of 
the  Sabbath  was  on  Sunday,  March  26th,  1865,  when  a  few 
were  assembled  on  a  vacant  lot  on  the  corner  of  Bridge  and 
West  Main  streets,  where  there  was  a  large  pile  of  logs 
intended  for  the  erection  of  another  gambling  house.  Rev. 
E.  T.  McLaughlin  preached  a  short  sermon  and  brother 
Wilcox  and  Justice  Miles  led  the  singing.  Brother  Mc- 
Laughlin was  a  Methodist,  but  church  connections  went  for 
little  then  and  all  contributed  to  build  him  a  church.  It  was 
of  logs  and  stood  on  the  corner  of  Joliet  and  Cutler  streets. 
Sawed  lumber  then  was  worth  20  cents  a  foot.  Every  thing 
about  the  church  was  home-made,  but  was  considered  fine 
in  those  days.  It  was  Rev.  McLaughlin  who  officiated  as 
chaplain  at  the  first  execution  by  the  Vigilance  Committee 
when  one  gambler  was  hung  on  the  old  pine  tree  for  shoot- 
ing another.  The  preference  of  the  condemned  for  spiritual 
influence  of  another  kind  on  that  occasion  led  to  a  suspen- 
sion of  the  benefit  of  clergy  in  subsequent  executions.  In 
that  first  log  house  I  had  a  bible  class  till  I  went  to  tlie  states 
in  the  fall  of  1866,  and  after  my  return  with  my  family  in 
the  early  summer  of  1867,  we  lived  near  by,  in  what  was 
then  the  best  residence  portion  of  the  city  and  attended  that 
church.  And  when  the  new  Methodist  church  was  erected 
on  Broadway,  I  gave  the  address  at  the  laying  of  the  cor- 
ner-stone and  contributed  to  its  erection,  teaching  in  its 
Sunday  School  and  acting  as  one  of  the  trustees.  Rev.  A. 
M.  Hough  was  then  and  for  some  time  thereafter  the  pastor 
of  the  church.  Another  minister,  Rev.  Pritchard  of  the 
M.  E.  Church,  South,  was  here  in  the  summer  of  1865,  a  very 
eloquent  pulpit  speaker  and  excellent  man,  who  held  services 
and  drew  large  audiences  to  Crescent  Hall  on  what  was 
then  Lower  Main  street.  Bishop  Daniel  S.  Tuttle  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  early  began  making  visits  in  Llelena  and 
found  hosts  of  friends  and  admirers  among  people  of  all 
denominations. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


There  is  no  conflict  of  autliorities  as  to  tlie  fact  that  to 
Rev.  Slieldon  Jaclvson  of  the  Presbytery  of  Iowa  belongs 
the  credit  of  making  the  first  attempt  to  establish  a  Presby- 
terian church  in  Helena,  and  that  as  early  as  the  summer  of 
1869.  There  exists  a  somewhat  apocryphal  reminiscence 
of  that  event  and  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  few  so-called 
members,  including  one  male  member,  James  Witherspoon, 
familiarly  known  as  '^ Limber  Jim,"  being  very  tall  and 
with  a  slouchy  gait,  who  soon  after  returned  to  Yankton, 
Dakota. 

For  some  reasons  not  fully  understood,  that  first  attempt 
to  establish  a  church  of  our  denomination  failed.  Probably 
the  prevailing  reason  was  the  uncertainty  that  Helena  would 
ever  be  anything  more  than  a  transient  mining  town.  There 
were  no  titles  to  any  real  estate  here  at  that  time,  except 
possessory  right,  and  the  mining  right  to  dig  anywhere  for 
gold  was  held  sujDerior  to  any  other  possessory  right.  Dur- 
ing the  mining  era  our  population  was  extremely  fluctuating. 
Government  title  to  our  town-site  was  not  acquired  till  late 
in  1869,  and  then  only  subject  to  existing  mining  rights. 
For  the  first  ten  years,  roughly  estimated,  Helena  was  chief- 
ly a  mining  camp,  resembling  the  New  Jerusalem  only  in 
one  respect,  that  its  streets  were  paved  with  gold,  a  mis- 
fortune in  our  case,  for  this  paving  was  torn  up  and  run 
tilirough  sluice  boxes.  By  the  end  of  the  first  decade,  Helena 
had  become  the  de  jure  as  well  as  de  facto  capital  and  other 
interests  in  the  city  had  become  permanent  and  paramount 
and  population  was  settled. 

The  purpose  of  establisliing  a  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Helena,  though  it  had  slumbered  for  three  years,  had  never 
been  abandoned.  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson  returned  in  the 
summer  of  1872,  better  equipped  than  on  his  former  visit. 
We  know  by  early  experience  of  the  church  that  even 
when  Paul  planted,  it  needed  an  Apollos  to  water. 
Especially  in  an  arid  county  like  Montana,  morally 
as  physically,  the  watering  was  full  as  essential  as 
the     planting.      Rev.   James    R.   Russel,     now  of     Butte, 


S4  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN  MONTANA. 

accompanied  Mr.  Jackson,  when  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Helena  was  organized  June  15, 
1872,  Mr.  Russel  was  left  in  charge  to  nourish  and  water  it. 
I  was  not  personally  present  at  the  organization  in  1872, 
and  will  leave  to  others  who  were,  to  speak  of  what  trans- 
pired. I  was  at  the  time  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Methodist 
Church  and  had  a  bible  class  in  their  Sunday  School,  as  I 
had  ever  since  1865,  though  my  church  connection  was  in 
the  East,  and  remained  there  for  a  year  or  two  more  after 
the  organization  of  this  church.  My  denominational  feel- 
ings were  never  strong,  and  as  I  now  recall  my  sentiments  of 
that  distant  date,  I  doubted  the  wisdom  of  trying  to  sustain 
another  separate  church  organization.  My  family  went 
east  within  a  few  days  after  the  organization  and  remained 
away  a  year,  and  my  duties  as  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  kept  me  away  much  of  the  time. 

At  the  organization,  or  soon  after,  Brothers  A.  T.  Wil- 
liams and  J.  E.  Pyle  were  chosen  elders,  and  through  the 
kindness  of  our  Methodist  brethren  the  use  of  their  church 
was  granted  for  the  services  of  completing  the  organization, 
June  16,  1872,  by  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson  preaching  a  sermon, 
ordaining  the  elders,  and  holding  communion  service. 
Therefore,  according  to  church  canons,  the  First  Presbyter- 
ian Church  was  an  organized  entity.  P)ut  its  members  were 
few,  a  very  little  leaven  in  a  very  large  lump,  with  no  place 
of  meeting  and  dependent  upon  the  Home  Mission  Board 
for  the  main  support  of  a  minister.  There  were  no  Pente- 
costal outpourings  at  the  time  as  when  the  apostle  Peter 
preached  in  Jerusalem  and  thousands  were  converted  in  a 
day.  Nor  was  the  general  inquiry,  ''What  shall  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  but,  "How  can  I  make  my  pile  and  get  back  to 
God's  country,"  as  the  country  east  of  the  Mississippi  was 
then  generally  called. 

Meetings  were  sometimes  held  in  the  Rodney  street  school 
house,  which  stood  on  ground  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Reinig's 
residence.  I  find  in  my  diary  a  memorandum  that  on  Aug- 
ust 15,  1872,  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  Presbyterian  church 


THE   PRKSBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  85 

committee  at  my  office,  when  it  was  voted  to  buy  a  lot  for  a 
church  and  Lockey's  corner  was  chosen,  at  a  price  of  $400. 
The  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Chessman  Block  on  Ewing 
street,  corner  of  Sixth  avenue. 

I  find  also  noted  that  on  Sunday,  September  20,  1872,  I 
attended  services  conducted  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Rommel  in  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall  in  Dunijhy  and  Bentley's  Block  on  Main 
street.  Mr.  Rommel  had  come  to  take  Mr.  Russel's  place, 
who  was  called  to  minister  to  the  church  at  Deer  Lodge. 

Sunday,  November  7,  1872,  Rev.  W.  S.  Frackleton,  whose 
field  was  Bozeman  and  the  whole  of  Gallatin  and  Madison 
Valleys,  preached  for  us.  Pie  was  one  of  the  three  young 
graduates  from  theological  seminaries  that  Mr.  Jackson 
had  induced  to  come  to  Montana.  Prayer  meetings  were 
held  at  the  residences  of  members  and  on  November  10, 
1872,  I  find  that  I  attended  prayer  meeting  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Walker,  the  first  for  several  years,  and  th^  attendance 
was  quite  large.  These  meetings  continued  to  be  held 
weekly  at  the  houses  of  the  members. 

During  the  year  1873-4  any  historical  facts  are  very  scarce. 
Mr.  Rommel  continued  to  preach  and  grew  in  favor  and  in- 
fluence steadily.  He  did  not  confine  his  labors  exclusively 
to  Helena,  but  frequently  went  to  Unionville  and  other 
places.  Meetings  continued  to  be  held  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall, 
the  use  of  which  was  generously  tendered  on  condition  that 
the  carpet  should  be  protected  by  a  covering,  which  was 
done  by  the  good  ladies.  We  think  a  church  organ  must 
have  been  secured,  for  Mr.  Koenigsberger  was  organist. 

The  Sunday  School  was  not  organized  till  services  began 
to  be  held  in  the  old  court  house,  nor  were  there  evening 
services  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall. 

The  record  book  of  the  trustees  is  unfortunately  very  in- 
complete, but  it  furnishes  a  memorandum  of  a  meeting  of 
the  church  members  in  December,  1873,  at  which  Col.  San- 
ders, B.  H.  Tatem,  Joseph  C.  Walker,  T.  H.  Kleinschmidt, 
E.  W.  Knight,  D.  H.  Cuthbert,  and  myself  were  chosen 
trustees.    Also  a  meeting  held  March  31,  1874,  when  Messrs. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


Samuel  Neel,  R.  E.  Fisk  and  Elder  Pyle,  with  Mr.  Koenigs- 
berger  subsequently  added,  were  chosen  as  a  committee  to 
select  a  location  for  a  church  edifice.  And  on  April  21,  1874, 
at  a  joint  meeting  of  the  trustees  and  building  committee, 
after  much  discussion  it  was  voted  to  buy  the  lot  at  the 
corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Ewing  street  of  I.  W.  Stoner 
for  $500  on  which  to  build  the  church.  I  was  not  present  at 
the  time,  having  gone  to  the  states  and  did  not  return  till 
the  middle  of  the  summer,  and  after  that  was  busy  with  a 
congressional  canvass. 

The  great  fire  January  9,  1874,  which  destroyed  almost 
all  the  business  portion  of  the  city,  crippled  everybody  and 
all  the  resources  that  anyone  could  command  were  devoted 
to  rebuilding  business  places.  Just  when  the  foundation  of 
the  new  church  was  laid  I  do  not  know,  but  it  must  have 
been  in  the  autumn  of  1874,  for  1  find  that  on  March  29, 
1875,  there  was  a  children's  sociable  in  the  new  church  build- 
ing, and  on  April  11th  there  was  a  large  Sunday  School 
held  there,  at  which  259  were  present,  and  on  June  20thi 
1875,  the  first  church  service  was  held  there  with  commun- 
ion. 

I  think  Mr.  Rommel  was  east  in  the  early  part  of  1875, 
for  I  find  an  entry  of  April  10,  1875,  of  his  return.  I  think 
he  secured  a  loan  of  $2,000  from  the  Church  Erection  Fund 
toward  the  completion  of  the  church  building,  the  entire 
cost  of  which  was  about  $11,000.  A  large  part  of  this  was 
raised  by  the  good  ladies  of  the  church  by  means  of  bazaars, 
strawberry  festivals,  and  other  like  means,  in  which  their 
genius  and  incessant  devotion  always  shone  to  profit. 

Though  the  church  wastenantable  it  was  not  completed  for 
more  than  a  year  thereafter,  for  I  find  an  entry,  Sunday, 
July  9,  1876,  "Attended  services  in  our  church,  freshly 
painted  and  carpeted."  Nine  days  later  there  was  a  straw- 
berry festival  for  the  benefit  of  the  church,  and  on  Sunday, 
July  30th,  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson  preached  in  the  church. 
Thursday,  August  10,  1876,  I  was  chosen  an  elder  against 
my  protest,  and  the  Sunday  following,  August  13,  1876, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  87 

was  ordained  as  such.  On  that  day  the  church  was  dedi- 
cated and  Mr.  Eommel  preached  his  farewell  sermon  in  the 
evening.  Our  people  had  become  greatly  attached  to  Mr. 
Rommel.  He  was  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  to  build  up 
the  church.  He  was  universally  respected  and  his  services 
were  in  constant  demand  and  always  cheerfully  rendered. 
But  he  became  impressed  with  the  idea  that  his  health  was 
faihng  and  a  change  was  necessary.  He  has  always  been 
remembered  with  loving  regrets.  He  promised  soon  to  send 
another  to  take  his  place,  but  it  was  not  till  March,  1877, 
that  Rev.  J.  D.  Hewitt  came.  For  more  than  six 
months  we  were  without  a  pastor  or  any  stated 
supply,  and  much  like  a  flock  without  a  shepherd.  Elders 
Williams  and  Pyle  were  away,  and  myself,  besides  being  in- 
experienced and  unfit  for  the  duties  of  an  elder,  exceeding- 
ly occupied  with  the  duties  of  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction, which  took  me  often  and  much  of  the  time  awa^^ 
from  home.  The  year  1876  was  a  very  depressing  one  gen- 
erally in  the  fortunes  of  Helena.  Those  who  had  rebuilt 
after  the  great  fire  were  heavily  involved,  and  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  the  Black  Hills  created  almost  a  stampede  to  Da- 
kota. It  seemed  as  if  the  city  was  going  to  be  deserted.  Tlie 
values  of  propertv  declined  enormously  and  it  was  nearly 
unsalable  at  any  price.  Our  hopes  of  getting  a  railroad, 
so  often  deferred  and  defeated,  almost  culminated  in  de- 
spair. Our  church  building  was  a  bond  of  union  and 
strength  at  the  time  when  so  many  other  conditions  seemed 
adverse. 

Rev.  J.  D.  Hewitt  came  to  us  in  March,  1877.  I  find  an 
entry  of  March  30tli  of  that  year  that  I  went  to  Bozeman  to 
Presbytery  with  Revs.  Hewitt  and  Russel.  Wednesday, 
April  25th,  a  church  meeting  elected  trustees  and  Thomas 
Smiley  as  deacon,  who  was  ordained  the  following  Sunday. 

On  Sunday,  Mav  6th,  I  find  mention  of  an  excellent  ser- 
mon by  Mr.  Hewitt  and  much  religious  interest  manifested. 
Meetings  were  held  every  evening  the  following  week  and 
union  services  on  Sunday,  May  IStli.    The  Sunday  following 


88  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Cook  of  Missoula  preached  at  our  church  and 
on  June  3rd  communion  was  held  and  seven  united  with  the 
church.  June  8th  there  was  a  Presbyterian  concert.  Sim- 
day,  June  24th,  it  was  noted  that  Mr.  Hewitt  had  returned 
and  preached,  and  a  Sunday  School  concert  was  held  in  the 
evening.  At  the  services  on  Sunday,  September  2nd,  com- 
munion was  held  and  four  united  with  the  church.  Sunday, 
October  7th,  the  Presbytery  was  in  session  here  and  at  the 
evening  service  Messrs.  Richards,  Cook  and  Russel  spoke 
on  Sunday  School  work. 

Sunday,  October  13,  1878,  it  was  noted  in  my  diary  that 
the  seats  in  the  church  were  supplied  with  new  cushions — 
getting  luxurious.**** 

My  diary  mentions  the  fact  that  on  Tuesday,  April  8th, 
there  was  a  debate  in  the  church  on  the  respective  merits 
of  the  pulpit  and  the  bar,  on  which  occasion  Col.  Sanders 
presided,  and  the  congregation  decided  on  the  merits  of  the 
debate  in  favor  of  the  bar.**** 

THE  WORK  OP  THE  WOMEN. 

(A  paper  by  Mrs.  John  E.  Pyle,  read  at  the  Twenty-fiftli 
Anniversary  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Helena.) 

In  February,  1872,  there  appeared  in  our  daily  papers, 
I  think  it  was  the  Herald,  a  card  from  the  Rev.  Sheldon 
Jackson,  requesting  that  the  names  of  any  Presbyterians, 
who  might  be  Uving  in  this  country,  be  sent  to  him  at  Den- 
ver, where  he  then  resided  with  his  family. 

This  was  more  than  two  years  after  his  first  visit  to  Mon- 
tana, when  his  efforts  to  establish  a  church  failed  for  want 
of  male  members.  Mr.  Pyle  immediately  sent  three  names — • 
all  he  then  had  knowledge  of — that  of  Mrs.  A.  M.  Walker, 
now  an  active  member  of  the  church  at  Anaconda,  and  his 
own  and  mine. 

There  were  other  Presbyterians  here,  as  was  afterwards 
discovered,  men  and  women  from  sanctified  Christian 
homes,  strong,  forceful  people,  but  they  were  at  that  time 
worshipping,  like  ourselves,  with  the  St.  Paul's  Methodist 
Church  and  they  were  supposed  to  be  all  Methodists,  and 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


EARLY   WORKERS   IN   THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    OF   HELENA. 

1.  Mrs.  Annie  C.   Cuthbert.  3.     Mrs.    Abba   Beatrice   Creel   Walker. 

2.  Mrs.  John  E.  Pyle.  4.     Mrs.  A.  T.  Williams-Nash. 

5.     Mrs.  Emma  Emerson. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


they  made  good  Methodists,  assisting  in  all  the  benevolent 
work  of  the  church,  the  Sabbath  School,  the  Christmas  fes- 
tivals, charities  and  giving  liberally  to  Foreign  Missions. 

After  ten  days  or  a  fortnight,  a  letter  was  received  from 
Dr.  Jackson  in  which  he  said  that  these  three  names  sent 
him,  were  the  only  ones  sent  him  from  Montana.  It  should 
be  said  in  this  connection,  that  it  was  a  question  in  the  minds 
of  those  early  pioneers  of  our  particular  system  whether  it 
was  right  or  wrong  to  multiply  churches  in  these  remote  and 
unsettled  communities,  where  one  felt  that  he  was  away 
from  home,  a  stranger,  and  that  what  he  gathered  of  the 
country's  wealth  should  go  to  build  where  his  heart  was. 
This  was  especially  true  of  the  women,  who  long  looked  for- 
ward to  going  back  and  as  the  feeling  of  homesickness  deep- 
ened, many  of  them  did  go  back.  Doubtless  this  lack  of 
permanency  and  domestication  furnishes  a  good  reason  why 
so  few  responded  to  Dr.  Jackson's  call.  However,  he  de- 
cided to  come,  and  in  his  letter  fixed  a  date  for  starting  and 
for  preaching  the  Sunday  following  his  arrival  in  Helena. 
That  was  in  staging  days  and  one  might  fix  a  time  for  start- 
ing, but  he  should  leave  the  rest  to  Providence.  In  this  case^ 
Dr.  Jackson  arrived  too  late  to  preach  either  morning  or 
evening. 

Mr.  Pyle  often  went  to  the  stage  office  hoping  to  meet  him, 
but  not  until  after  we  had  gone  to  church  and  had  heard  the 
better  part  of  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Woolfolk,  did  he  make  his 
appearance.  Having  found  us  away,  he  brought  our  son,  a 
lad  of  eight,  who  had  been  left  at  home  to  direct  him  to  the 
place  of  preaching.  They  sat  immediately  back  of  us  and  at 
the  close  of  the  services  we  were  most  agreeably  surprised 
to  be  introduced  to  Dr.  Jackson.  He  stayed  one  or  two  days 
in  Helena,  then  went  to  visit  Deer  Lodge  and  Bozeman, 
promising  in  a  few  weeks  to  return. 

Of  the  two  ministers  accompanying  him  Rev.  J.  R.  Rus- 
sel  remained,  preaching  his  first  sermon  June  2nd,  1872.  Mr. 
Jackson  returned  on  the  14tli  and  on  the  16th  of  June  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Helena  was  organized,  Dr. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  91 

Jackson  preaching  morning  and  evening  on  the  Sunday  fol- 
lowing. 

Mr.  Russel  was  placed  in  charge  as  pastor,  preaching  once 
a  month  at  Deer  Lodge,  supplying  the  two  places  until  such 
time  as  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  should  be  able  to  se- 
cure another  minister  for  this  field.  Mr.  Russel,  a  young 
man  just  from  the  theological  seminary,  eminently  genial 
and  social,  as  well  as  of  fine  Christian  culture,  soon  made 
for  himself  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  under 
his  leadership  the  little  church  made  a  good  beginning. 

They  were  then  holding  services  in  the  Academy,  a  plain 
one-story  building  on  South  Rodney  street.  In  October  of 
the  same  year,  Rev.  W.  C.  Rommel  came  to  the  Helena 
church,  Mr.  Russel  going  to  Deer  Lodge.  Some  time  during 
the  autumn  the  Odd  Fellows'  hall  was  secured  in  which  to 
hold  services  during  the  winter.  They  were  required  to  pay 
some  rent,  to  cover  the  carpet  with  canvass  and  other  con- 
ditions did  not  permit  of  having  Sabbath  School  or  praver 
meeting  at  that  place.  As  the  Sabbath  School  had  not  yet 
been  organized,  it  was  thought  best  to  continue  with  the 
Methodist  school  until  spring.  The  prayer  meetings  were 
to  be  held  at  private  houses  and  it  was  a  mid-week  resting 
place;  those  little  ^'at  home"  prayer  meetings,  where  talk 
and  pleasant  interchange  of  hopes  and  plans  mixed  in  with 
prayer  and  praise,  afforded  to  the  men  of  our  number  whose 
families  had  gone  to  ''the  States"  for  a  year,  or  may  be  two^ 
one  hallowed  hour  of  civilized  living. 

At  Christmas  time,  they  gave  their  first  entertainment^ 
a  bazaar,  lasting  several  days  and  a  Christmas  dinner.  A 
Christmas  dinner  will  at  once  suggest  to  your  minds  an  af- 
fair involving  a  great  deal  of  hard  work.  This  one  would 
especially  answer  that  description,  a  heavy  snow  storm  hav- 
ing come  up  the  day  before  and  the  mercury  having  fallen 
to  twenty  degrees  below  zero.  Not  a  turkey  within  500 
miles,  and  fresh  fruit  not  to  be  had  at  any  price,  but,  never- 
theless, their  fame  went  out  from  that  day  for  plum  pudding, 
fried  oysters  and  coffee  served    hot.     Col.     Sanders     and 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IX  MONTANA. 


Theodore  Kleinschmidt  helped  to  keep  up  the  fires.  From 
this  enterprise  they  realized  the  sum  of  $800.  This  was  a 
nucleus  for  a  building  fund  which  was  added  to  by  other 
church  benefits,  a  long  line  of  every  conceivable  variety,  but 
all  orthodox  hard  work  and  decorum.  It  may  be  important 
to  mention  that  the  Presbyterians  never  yielded  to  the  then 
popular  fancy  of  giving  balls  and  raffles,  a  custom  of  some 
prevalence  at  that  time,  and  over  which  there  had  been  much 
controversy,  until  Bishop  Tuttle  of  the  Episcopalian 
Church,  everybody's  guide,  philosopher  and  friend,  settled 
it  by  giving  a  formal  opinion, — adverse  opinion, — ^which 
was  published  in  the  leading  papers  throughout  the  terri- 
tory. It  was  done  with  rare  gentleness  and  sympathy,  by 
way  of  suggesting  better  methods. 

In  the  spring  of  1873,  the  congregation  again  changed 
quarters,  this  time  to  the  old  court  house  where  Sabbath 
School  was  then  organized.  I  remember  now  that  Mr.  Eom- 
mel  also  took  charge  of  a  little  Sabbath  School  at  Union- 
ville  and  rode  up  there  every  Sunday  afternoon  on  his 
horse.  One  Sunday  as  he  was  wending  his  way  through 
Upper  Main  street,  where  they  were  trading  horses  and  at- 
tending to  all  kinds  of  business,  our  minister  so  far  forgot 
himself  as  to  stop  and  buy  a  whip  for  his  horse.  There  was 
no  Sabbath  stillness  to  remind  him  of  his  mistake  and  he 
continued  on  his  way. 

Mr.  Rommel  was  duly  elected  superintendent  of  the  Hel- 
ena school,  later  on  Mr.  E.  W.  Knight  was  made  superin- 
tendent, and  continued  to  hold  the  position  for  many  years. 
Judge  Hedges  taught  the  young  men's  Bible  class.  Other 
teachers  chosen  at  that  time  were  Mesdames  W.  F,  Sanders, 
E.  E.  Fisk,  Jerome  Norris,  Emerson,  and  Woolfolk  and 
Miss  Guthrie,  and  the  late  Mrs.  Weston  and  Mrs,  Hard. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  they  gave  the  children  a  picnic  at 
the  fair  grounds.  The  school  increased  rapidly  and  at  the 
end  of  the  year  numbered  over  200.  There  was  at  that  time 
but  one  other  Sabbath  School  in  Helena,  that  of  Saint  Paul's 
Methodist  Church.     Mesdames  Neel,  Cuthbert,  and  Judge 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


Wade,  and  Messrs.  Charles  Ellis  and  Armitage  and  others 
assisted  in  the  choir.  The  organ  was  played  by  Mrs.  Koen- 
igsberger.  Children  were  baptized  and  young  people  mar- 
ried. The  first  of  these  were  Miss  Nellie  Ciithbert,  her  sis- 
ter May  and  Day  Walker  of  Anaconda.  These  young  peo- 
ple are  all  now  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Broadwater  were  married,  this  being  the  first  wed- 
ding at  which  our  minister,  Mr.  Eommel,  had  ever  officiated. 

The  site  for  a  church  edifice  had  been  purchased  and  the 
necessity  for  raising  money  for  building  pressed  heavily 
upon  those  who  had  taken  the  cause  to  heart,  and  another  of 
those  entertainments,  above  referred  to,  was  planned, — a 
contract  with  the  Fair  Association  for  keeping  the  restaur- 
ant during  fair  week.  Provisions  were  cooked  at  home  and 
taken  out  fresh  every  morning,  sufficient  for  three  meals., 
Everybody's  kitchen  was  in  service  during  the  week  or 
ten  days  it  lasted.  The  women  served  alternate  days  at  the; 
restaurant,  making  the  day  at  home  not  less  a  work  day, 
but  a  change.  After  paying  all  expenses,  there  remained 
for  the  building  fund  another  $500.  ]\Irs.  R.  E.  Fisk  was 
president  of  the  society  at  this  time,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Sanders 
general  superintendent  of  this  particular  undertaking. 

The  different  families  of  the  congregation  gave  monthly 
receptions,  called  sociables  then,  at  which  the  plate  was 
passed  for  whatever  donation  or  mite  one  felt  hke  giving. 
The  largest  attendance,  and  the  most  money  received,  was 
at  one  given  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Sanders  during  the 
first  legislative  assembly,  after  the  removal  of  the  capitol 
from  Virginia  City  to  Helena.  The  mites  amounted  to 
forty  dollars. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  furtlier  particularize.  These  exper- 
iences were  repeated  over  and  over,  varied  by  concerts, 
tableaux.  Madam  Jarley  's  wax  works,  and  even  Punch  and 
Judy. 

The  citizens  and  business  men  subscribed  liberally  and 
were  called  upon  more  than  once,  but,  for  all  that,  the  great- 
er part  of  the  ten  thousand  dollars  necessary  for  the  com- 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


pletion  of  the  building  was  secured  by  these  efforts,  and  it 
was  work  well  done,  at  whatever  cost,  to  have  set  in  motion 
a  great  moral  force  in  times  of  such  disorder.  At  that  time 
there  were  no  Sunday  laws,  a  shifting  population  with  ex- 
citing rumors  of  gold  discoveries  in  the  new  camps  of  Butte 
and  Deadwood,  causing  almost  daily  exodus. 

Our  minister,  Mr.  Rommel,  was  under  the  necessity  of 
changing  his  room  five  times  in  less  than  one  year,  owing 
to  the  restlessness  of  the  different  families  with  whom  he 
lived.  The  people  were  fortunate  in  having  a  man  sent  them 
hy  the  Board  of  Missions  who  could  live  above  environ- 
ments. He  was  like  a.  true  pioneer,  caring  little  for  difficult- 
ies and  hardships,  only  to  succeed  in  the  battle  for  results, 
and  that  he  did  succeed  was  the  undi^^ded  testimony  of  his 
own,  as  well  as  all  other  churches  in  the  territory,  of  what- 
ever denomination. 

Soon  after  the  completion  and  dedication  of  the  church, 
he  sent  in  his  resignation. 

In  1881  the  women  met  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Edna 
Hedges  and  reorganized  their  society,  electing  Mrs.  D.  C. 
IVade  president,  and  taldng  the  name  of  "The  Ladies'  Aid 
Society. ' ' 

Letters  have  been  received  from  Mrs.  Koenigsberger,  Mrs. 
Neel  and  Mrs.  A.  M.  Walker,  whom  we  all  atfectionately  re- 
member. 

THE  RUTHERFORD-WALKER  BIBLE. 
By  Mrs.  Ahha  Beatrice  Creel  Walker  of  Anaconda. 

The  size  of  the  Bible  is  eight  inches  by  seven.  It  was 
printed  at  London,  England,  by  Bonliam  Norton  and  John 
Bill,  printers  to  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty,  in  the 
year  1621.  All  through  the  Bible  the  old-fashioned  printing 
is  used  with  the  long  *'s. " 

This  Bible  was  brought  from  Scotland  to  Ireland;  from 
Ireland  to  the  United  States  in  1726.  Its  home  was  first  in 
Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  then  in  Virginia,  Kentucky, 
Illinois,  Iowa,  and  now  in  the  far  western  state  of  Montana. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


95 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE   RUTHERFORD-WALKER   BIBLE. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IX   MONTANA.  97 


This  Bible  is  by  some  called  the  Rutherford  Bible  as  the 
Walkers  are  descendants  of  the  Riitherfords  of  Scotland. 

In  the  family  register  given  in  the  Bible  is  the  name  of 
John  McKnight,  born  in  1627.  The  old  names  written  in  the 
Bible,  more  than  two  centuries  ago,  are  as  distinct  as  if  writ- 
ten yesterday.    The  Bible  was  entailed  to  the  oldest  child. 

The  first  record  in  the  Bible  of  the  ones  inheriting  it  is 


JOSEPH  C.   WALKER. 


as  follows :  James  Rutherford  died  April  26,  1768,  and  left 
the  Bible  to  his  eldest  daughter,  Jean  AValker  Hudson,  who 
died  October  15.  1777,  and  left  the  Bible  to  her  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Margaret  Hudson,  who  married  John  Walker.  Marga- 
ret Hudson  Walker  died  October  23d,  1782,  and  left  the 
Bible  to  her  eldest  daughter,  Jean  Walker,  who  married 
Joseph  Patterson. 

Jean  Walker  Patterson  died  December  23,  1810,  and  left 
the  Bible  to  her  eldest  son,  John  Patterson;  at  his  death  he 
left  the  Bible  to  his  brother.  Col.  William  Patterson.    He 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


died  October  23,  1888,  and  left  the  Bible  to  his  eldest 
daughter,  Mary  Ann  Creel  Patterson,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa.  She 
died  August  15,  1898,  and  left  the  old  Bible  to  her  eldest 
living  daughter,  Abba  Beatrice  Creel  Walker  (Mrs.  A.  M. 
Walker)   of  Anaconda,  Montana. 

Her  son,  David  Creel  Walker,  will  inherit  the  Bible.  He 
was  the  first  child  baptized  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Helena,  his  mother  being  one  of  the  charter  members  of 
that  church. 

The  old  Bible  has  been  in  many  lands  and  many  names,  it 
is  now  back  in  the  Walker  name,  but  in  all  of  its  wanderings, 
it  has  never  strayed  from  the  Presbyterian  fold. 

(Mr.  Joseph  C.  Walker,  a  brother  of  Mr.  A.  M.  Walker, 
now  of  Lewistown,  Montana,  was  also  a  charter  member  of 
the  Helena  Church.  He  likes  to  relate  that  his 
parents  were  charter  members  of  the  first  Presby- 
terian Church  organized  in  the  Territory  of  Iowa 
by  a  colony  of  Kentuckians,  in  1837.  Three  of  his 
uncles  and  four  of  his  aunts  also  helped  to  make  up  the  roll 
of  eleven  members  of  this  pioneer  church  at  West  Point, 
Iowa,  ten  miles  from  Fort  Madison.  Col.  William  Patter- 
son, mentioned  above,  was  a  charter  member  of  this  pioneer 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Iowa.) 

EEMINISCENCES  OF  REV.  WILLIAM  C.  ROMMEL. 
Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Helena  from 

September,  1872,  to  August,  1876. 

Cornwall,  N.  Y.,  December  29, 1905. 

Dear  Brother  Edwards : — Your  letter  of  information  and 
inquiry  is  acknowledged  with  thanks,  and  I  am  glad  to  be  of 
any  service  to  you.  Helena  was  my  first  ministerial  charge 
and  I  have  never  lost  my  love  for  its  people. 

In  August,  I  think,  of  1872,  I  left  Ehzabeth,  N.  Y.,  after 
my  seven  years  of  study  at  Princeton  University  and  Sem- 
inary for  my  work  as  a  home  missionary  in  Helena,  Mon- 
tana, with  my  commission  as  home  missionary  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  signed  by  the  good  secretaries,  Drs.  Kendall 
and  Dickson.    At  Colorado  Springs  I  attended  the  meeting 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  99 

of  the  Colorado  Synod  in  a  small  unfinished  frame  Presby- 
terian church;  tents  were  in  evidence  and  a  small  hotel.  At 
that  meeting  I  was  received  into  the  Presbytery  of  Mon- 
tana. Thence  to  Salt  Lake  City,  where  I  supplied  our 
church  for  two  Sabbaths,  its  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Welsh,  being- 
absent  in  the  east.  Thence  to  Corinne,  Utah,  preaching,  if 
I  remember  correctly,  for  Brother  Gillespie.  On  a  Wed- 
nesday evening,  I  boarded  the  coach  of  the  Overland  Stage 
Co.,  bound  for  Helena,  Montana.  Rev.  Lyman  B.  Critten- 
den and  wife  and  daughter,  en  route  for  Bozeman,  Mon- 
tana, to  start  a  Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  occupied  the  front 
seat  of  the  Concord  coach.  A  young  lieutenant,  fresh  from 
West  Point,  and  another  stranger  and  myself  occupied  the 
middle  seat.  A  bride  and  groom,  a  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith, 
en  route  for  Deer  Lodge,  and  their  friend,  Miss  Sims,  en 
route  to  start  and  teach  a  Presbyterian  school  at  Missoula, 
occupied  the  back  seat,  while  some  three  or  four  others  were 
on  the  top  with  the  driver. 

We  were  a  cheerful  party  and  had  need  of  all  our  cheer- 
fulness, for  the  coach  kept  losing  time.  One  of  the  wheels 
froze  and  we  took  it  off  and  poured  in  water  to  cool  off  the 
freeze.  Clouds  of  the  fine  alkali  dust  nearly  blinded  and 
choked  us.  The  cramped  position  made  sleep  for  some  of 
us  impossible.  I  got  six  hours  sleep  out  of  the  92  hours 
in  the  not  far  from  500  miles  of  our  journey.  At  Sandhole 
we  stopped  for  dinner ;  sage  brush  tea,  as  black  as  your  hat, 
butter,  stronger  than  Samson,  bread,  heav^',  sour  and  un- 
eatable, a  big  bowl  of  grease  with  a  few  bits  of  pork  swim- 
ming in  it,  and  prunes.  Our  lieutenant  tasted  the  tea  and 
gave  it  up  and  went  to  the  landlady  and  asked  the  price. 
* '  One  dollar. "  ' '  But  I  have  eaten  nothing. "  "  That 's  not 
my  fault.  There  is  plenty.  The  price  is  one  dollar."  He 
paid  it.  We  meekly  followed  suit.  At  Brooke's,  about  50 
miles  from  Helena,  a  stage  station  for  changing  horses,  I 
got  off  the  coach  for  a  rest.  The  express  messenger,  who 
was  going  to  Helena  to  guard  the  down  treasure  coach,  got 
off  also  and  called  mv  attention  to  two  men,  dressed  in 


100  THE    PRK^5BY^ERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

black,  walking  towards  the  Brooke's  home.  "Do  you  know 
these  men  ? "  he  answered.  ' '  No.  Who  are  they  ? "  ''  Preach- 
ers!" He  put  so  much  contempt  in  his  answer  that  I  was 
not  so  much  surprised  at  the  volume  of  profanity  that  fol- 
lowed and  the  fearful  cursing  of  all  preachers.  I  did  not 
let  him  know  that  I  was  a  preacher,  but  reflected  on  the  need 
of  preachers  in  Montana. 

We  reached  Helena  at  2  a.  m.  of  the  following  Sunday 
and  when  I  registered,  I  prefixed  "Rev."  to  my  name  and 
watched  the  express  messenger  as  his  eye  ran  over  the  names 
registered.  The  next  morning  at  breakfast  he  came  into 
the  dining  room,  straight  to  my  table.  I  looked  up  and 
nodded,  saying  "Good  morning."  He  turned  aside  and 
the  tell-tale  blood  mounted  to  his  temples  and  I  saw  that 
"his  bark  was  worse  than  his  bite."  -Some  two  years  after 
in  Deer  Lodge  he  came  into  a  store  where  I  was,  recognized 
me  and  asked  for  an  introduction,  and  while  not  in  so  many 
words  apologizing  for  his  vigorous  reception,  yet  in  manner 
and  kindly  speech  he  practically  did  apologize. 

My  first  Sunday  morning  in  Helena  was  a  revelation. 
Brother  Russel,  now  of  Butte,  called  and  about  9  a.  m.  we 
went  to  his  residence.  My  hotel  was  on  upper  Main  Street, 
a  fine,  well-furnished,  four-story  brick  hotel,  the  Interna- 
tional, destroyed  in  the  big  fire.  As  I  stepped  out  that 
bright  Sabbath  morning  I  faced  a  large  crowd  of  men,  in- 
terested in  an  auctioneer  selling  bronchos.  Just  back  of  him 
to  the  left  was  a  large  saloon,  the  Exchange,  wide  open, 
with  tables  where  men  were  playing  faro,  "bucking  the 
tiger."  The  sidewalks  and  narrow  street  were  filled  with 
men,  mostly  young  men,  and  all  the  stores  seemed  to  be  open 
and  doing  business.  At  the  M.  E.  Church  a  small  congre- 
gation worshipped.  At  night  a  union  service  was  held  at 
the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  in  behalf  of  the  Bible  cause,  where 
I  made  my  first  address  in  Montana.  For  a  few  Sabbaths, 
beginning  the  following  Sal)bath  morning,  T  ]U'eached  in 
the  M.  E.  Church.  We  secured  a  room,  the  Odd  Fellows' 
Hall,  on  Main  Street,  worshipping  there  Sunday  mornings 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA.  101 


and  evenings  for  a  while  and  working  in  the  Sabbath  School 
of  the  M.  E.  Church.  The  need  of  a  church  building  was 
plain  and  we  went  to  work  to  raise  money.  Our  congrega- 
tion, though  small,  was  made  up  of  some  of  the  best  people 
in  Helena.  I  never  knew  a  better  lot  of  church  workers 
than  the  ladies  of  the  Helena  Presbyterian  church,  such 
ladies  as  Mrs.  W.  F.  Sanders  and  her  charming  mother, 
Mrs.  Fenn,  Mrs.  Wedger,  Mrs.  Roberts,  Mrs.  Koenigs- 
berger,  Mrs.  Fisk,  Mrs.  Cuthbert,  and  her  sister  Miss  Xew- 
hall,  Mrs.  Neel  and  her  devoted  mother  Mrs.  Baker,  Mrs. 
Wilcox,  Mrs.  Hedges,  but  one  would  have  to  call  the 
whole  roll,  and  it  seems  invidious  to  mention  any  without 
mentioning  all. 

The  Roman  Catholics  had  raised  a  large  sum  of  money, 
the  previous  year,  by  a  Christmas  bazaar  and  our  ladies 
decided  to  have  a  similar  bazaar  and  came  to  me  full  of 
the  idea  and  enthusiasm.  I  approved  cordially,  but  they 
innocently  added,  ''And  we  will  have  dancing  and  raffling 
and  will  make  lots  of  money  for  our  church."  "What!"  I 
said,  ''have  a  dance  and  raffling  for  a  Presbyterian 
Church!"  "Why,  certainly.  The  Roman  Catholics  made 
most  of  their  money  that  way  last  winter."  I  promptly 
said,  "That  cannot  be."  They  insisted  and  I  at  last  said, 
"I  have  a  valise;  it  is  readily  packed,  and  I  will  not  remain 
in  charge  of  the  Helena  church  if  such  a  bazaar  is  under- 
taken." "Oh,  if  you  feel  that  way,  we  will  not  have  the 
bazaar,  but  that  is  the  only  way  to  make  any  money  here 
in  Helena."  "Very  well,  I  am  satisfied."  Later  they  came 
penitent  and  said,  "You  were  right  and  we  were  wrong. 
We  will  have  the  bazaar  without  any  of  the  objectionable 
features,  but  we  will  make  very  little  money,  perhaps 
$200.  And  the  Roman  Catholics  are  reported  to  have 
cleared  $7,000  in  three  weeks." 

We  worked  with  a  will ;  had  the  bazaar  for  three  days  in- 
cluding Christmas  day.  The  gentlemen  aided  royally.  Some 
washed  and  wiped  dishes.  At  the  Christmas  dinner  Judge 
Wade  and  others  were  the  waiters  and  at  the  end  over  $800 


102  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


were  netted,  and  all  were  happy,  and  the  "boys"  were  as- 
tonished that  they  could  leave  the  fair  with  any  dust  in  their 
pockets  and  voted  the  Presbyterian  bazaar  all  right. 

The  following  Sunday  night  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  I  faced 
a  full  house  of  men,  many  of  them  had  aided  us  generously 
at  the  bazaar.  I  knew  that  Christmas  had  been  a  day  of 
dissipation  for  many,  that  the  coming  New  Year's  day  would 
be  more  so,  as  the  custom  of  our  leading  families  was  to 
keep  open  house  on  that  day  and  offer  refreshments,  includ- 
ing liquor,  to  their  guests.  With  a  purpose  my  text  that 
night,  was,  "Look  not  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red."  I 
was  young,  ardent,  and  a  convinced  teetotaler.  From  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  the  sermon  some  of  the  men  in  the 
audience  never  raised  their  eyes  from  the  floor.  My  peror- 
ation was  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  women  of  Helena  not  to 
offer  intoxicants  to  their  guests  on  New  Year's  day.  Next 
morning  as  I  walked  up  Main  street,  I  was  conscious  of  an 
atmosphere.  Some  would  not  speak  to  me,  some  acted  as  if 
their  necks  had  been  stiffened.  On  entering  the  store  of 
one  of  my  congregation  he  shook  a  warning  finger  and  bade 
me  look  out  for  myself.  I  asked  why.  "Because  of  your 
temperance  sermon  last  night."  I  had  suddenly  become 
famous,  or  rather  infamous.  The  idea  of  preaching  a  tem- 
perance sermon  in  Helena,  and  such  a  temperance  sermon ! 
I  had  quoted  a  remark  of  a  friend,  "All  Helena's  drunk  on 
Christmas  day",  in  the  sermon.  This  was  taken  up  with  a 
vengeance.  For  example,  "Hello!  Tom,  I  heard  you  were 
drunk  Christmas."  "It's  a  d — d  lie.  Who  told  you."  "The 
Presbyterian  preacher."  "When!"  Sunday,  in  his  sermon." 
And  the  poor  preacher  would  get  another  cursing.  So  the 
boys  kept  it  up.  One  man  said  to  me  years  after  that  he 
was  present  at  the  service,  had  been  under  the  influence  of 
liquor  on  Christmas,  but  had  helped  our  bazaar  liberally  and 
was  so  angry,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  thrash  me, — ])ut  he 
changed  his  mind.  I  was  discouraged,  feeling  that  I  had 
only  roused  opposition.  But  on  New  Year's  day  I  made  sixty 
calls  and  in  only  two  places  was  liquor  served  and  in  one 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA.  108 

of  these,  the  International  hotel,  the  wife  of  the  proprietor 
said  to  me,  "I  heard  your  sermon,  it  was  all  right.  My 
husband  said  that  we  must  have  liquor  to-day.  'Well',  I 
told  him,  'I'll  not  serve  it.  We  ladies  will  have  our  table 
and  if  the  gentlemen  insist  on  having  liquors,  they  may  go 
over  to  that  table  and  help  themselves'  ".  Thus  loyally 
did  the  ladies  of  Helena,  Montana,  on  New  Year's  day, 
1873,  respond  to  an  appeal  on  behalf  of  their  husbands, 
brothers  and  sons. 

The  Baptist  minister,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Woolfolk,  having  left 
Helena,  our  congregation  moved  to  the  court  house,  organ- 
ized a  Sunday-school,  and  held  regular  morning  and  evening 
services. 

An  organist  was  a  necessity  for  our  Sabbath-school,  and 
as  none  could  be  obtained,  I  determined  to  see  if  I  had  the 
timber  for  one.  A  small  folding  melodeon  was  rented  for 
$6  a  month  for  practice.  A  stout,  short  German  who 
played  in  Kessler's  lager  beer  saloon  was  my  teacher  at  $2 
a  lesson.  After  ten  lessons  with  the  usual  backaches,  wrist- 
aches  and  headaches,  I  succeeded  in  learning  how  to  play, 
''John  Brown's  body",  when  an  organist  was  found  and  I 
realized  that  the  timber  for  an  organist  was  lacking.  Only 
"John  Brown's  body",  and  poor  enough  at  that,  cost  me 
$26.00. 

I  taught  a  Bible  class  and  one  of  the  members,  a  rough 
bearded  miner,  asked  if  the  original  Greek  word  for  baptize 
did  not  mean  to  dip  or  immerse.  I  wondered  at  such  a 
request  from  such  a  source  and  found  out  that  he  had  been 
a  student  for  the  Congregational  ministry,  but  his  health 
failed.  Later  one  Monday  morning  he  called  at  my  house 
to  say  goodbye,  as  he  was  going  back  to  the  states.  "Why?" 
I  asked.  "Because  you  advised  me  to  go."  "^Alien  did 
I  give  you  that  advice!"  "Last  night  in  your  sermon  you 
said,  if  a  man  could  not  live  a  Christian  life  here,  as  he 
ought  to  Hve  it,  he  should  go  back  to  the  states,  where  he 
could  live  that  life.  I  am  that  man.  I  sold  my  claim  to 
my  partner  and  have  come  to  say  goodbye."      If  all  our 


104  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


hearers  would  take  our  advice  so  prom])tly  and  fully,  preach- 
ing wonld  be  quite  a  different  thing  from  now. 

I  became  interested  in  a  Chinaman  in  Helena,  bought  a 
Chinese-English  book  for  him,  hoping  to  help  him  into  the 
light  of  the  Lord.  One  Sunday  morning  he  called  at  my 
house.  "A^^iat  can  I  do  for  you,  Charley?"  I  inquired. 
' '  You  lend  me  fifty  or  sixty  dollar '. "  ' '  I  don 't  do  business 
on  Sunday  and  I  don't  lend  money,  but  what  do  you  want 
it  for,  Charley?"  "You  good  man.  Lady  send  me  to  you. 
You  lend  me  fifty  or  sixty  dollar'.  I  pay  you  back  five  or 
six  doll  a'  every  month.  Heap  good  business."  ''But 
what  is  the  business,  Charley?"  After  some  hesitation  he 
said,  ''A  little  lottery  business  in  Chinatown."  My  room- 
mate was  almost  overcome,  he  laughed  long  and  loud,  and 
laughed  almost  all  day  Sunday.  That  a  heathen  Chinee 
should  come  to  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  of  a  Sunday  morn- 
ing, to  get  money  to  start  him  in  the  gambling  business  in 
Ohinatown,  was  too  much  for  his  sense  of  the  ludicrous.  It 
was  too  good  to  keep.  He  sent  this  item  to  the  New  North 
West,  Deer  Lodge :  ' '  The  Presbyterian  preacher  of  Helena, 
being  zealous  in  his  efforts  to  convert  a  Chinaman,  sud- 
denly ceased  them  when  the  Chinaman  proposed  that  the 
preacher  should  start  him  in  the  gambling  business  in  China- 
town."  This  item  was  copied  into  Ayer's  almanac  and 
was  widely  circulated. 

One  Sunday  morning  the  topic  of  the  sermon  was  from 
the  text,  ''Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart."  At  dinner,  after 
the  sermon,  my  tenor  singer  remarked  to  me,  "I  am  glad 
that  you  preached  that  sermon  this  morning;  it  was  much 
needed.  I  saw  on  the  piano  the  other  evening  in  one  of 
our  best  homes  a  vile  newspaper."  His  neighbor  at  the 
table  shoved  back  his  soup  plate  and  contemptously  ex- 
claimed, "The  idea  of  your  saying  that!"  "Well,  sir," 
was  the  reply,  "if  you  want  your  sister  to  read  such  litera- 
ture, I  have  no  objection."  With  an  oath  he  answered, 
"My  sister  isasaint  in  heaven,  I'll  get  a  pistol  and  kill  you." 
And  he  rushed  in  great  excitement  from  the  room.       We 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  105 

simply  smiled  and  went  on  with  our  dinner.  In  a  moment 
he  entered  the  room,  flushed  with  rage,  and  standing  back 
of  the  tenor  singer,  threatened  to  strike  him.  This  roused 
the  singer  and  they  started  to  tight.  They  were  small  and 
slight  and  fought  like  women,  making  frantic  passes  with 
their  fists  and  swearing  loudly.  The  singer  got  his  op- 
ponent by  the  throat  and  was  choking  him  well,  when  the 
landlady  appeared  and  I  arose  and  separated  them.  The 
pistol  hunter  went  out  again  to  get  his  pistol,  and  though 
pistols  then  in  Helena  were  as  thick  as  leaves  in  Vallom 
brosa,  he  could  not  find  any.  The  next  day  they  were  re- 
conciled. 

I  was  on  horseback  one  morning  and  stopped  in  the  street 
to  talk  to  one  of  our  church  trustees,  when  up  staggered 
a  drunken  Scotchman.  He  grasped  my  outstretched  hand 
and  asked  when  I  was  coming  out  to  Ten  Mile  to  preach 
to  the  boys  there.  I  said  that  I  did  not  know  but  would 
be  glad  to  come  sometime.  Letting  go  my  hand  and  trying 
to  steady  himself,  he  said  solemnly,  "Mr.  Rommel,  if  I  am 
nothing  else  in  this  world,  I'm  a  pretty  good  Presbyterian." 
The  next  day  I  saw  him  in  Helena  and  tried  to  speak  to  him 
to  arrange  for  a  preaching  appointment  at  Ten  MJle,  but 
I  could  not  get  near  him,  he  took  good  care  to  keep  out  of 
my  way. 

A  wedding  some  twelve  miles  distant,  required  a  livery 
team,  which  I  secured  and  started  on  a  raw,  windy  day  for 
the  bride's  residence.  The  team  proved  hard  to  drive,  be- 
ing seized  with  a  purpose  to  run  away.  The  residence  of 
the  bride  was  reached  in  safety,  the  horses  put  away  in  a 
half-open  barn.  After  the  ceremony  I  started  home.  The 
team  had  been  chilled  with  the  long  wait,  and  started  at  a 
lively  gait.  They  were  hard-mouthed,  young  and  fiery.  I 
could  hold  them  in  a  while,  but  getting  tired  and  relaxing 
the  reins,  they  would  start  on  a  swift  trot  and  break  into  a 
run.  It  was  too  dark  to  follow  the  road  and  we  were  soon 
scouring  over  the  prairie,  going  we  knew  not  where  at  a 
frightful  pace.      At  last  the  lights  of  Helena  appeared  and 


IW  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

we  struck  the  road  aud  rushed  into  the  stable,  I  remon- 
strated with  the  liveryman  for  giving  me  a  runaway  team. 
He  said,  "I  let  out  all  my  other  teams  and  gave  this  to  you. 
I  knew  the  Lord  would  take  care  of  you,  Parson. ' ' 

Passing  up  Main  street  one  day  I  stopped  at  an  auc- 
tioneer's place.  He  was  on  a  drygoods  box,  selling  goods^ 
and  exciting  the  interest  aud  laughter  of  the  crowd,  by  his 
remarks  coupled  with  revolting  blasphemy.  I  waited  till 
he  was  through  and  walking  up  to  him  said,  when  he  was 
alone,  "How  is  it  that  you  swear  so!"  ''Well,  I  do  swear 
some."  He  was  perhaps  the  most  profane  man  in  Helena, 
which  is  saying  a  great  deal.  "I  know  that  I  ought  not 
to  do  it,  and  my  church,  the  Roman  Catholic,  forbids  it.  But 
Mr.  Rommel,  I  never  swear  before  my  wife."  "Then  you 
need  not  swear  at  all."  "That's  so,"  he  replied,  and  after 
a  moment  added,  "I'll  make  a  bargain  with  you,  Parson. 
If  you  ever  hear  me  swear  again,  just  come  up  and  tap  me 
on  the  shoulder."  "All  right,"  I  answered.  The  next  day 
I  found  him  auctioneering  as  before  with  similar  language. 
I  waited  and  went  up  and  tapped  him  on  the  shoulder.  "All 
right.  Parson,  you'll  never  catch  me  again."  And  I  never 
did.      He  broke  short  off. 

Our  Sunday  services  in  the  court-house  •  were  well  at- 
tended, especially  mostly  men  at  night.  Speaking  of  the- 
evils  of  gambling,  I  noticed  particularly  one  young  man. 
who  seemed  deeply  interested.  I  described  a  game  and  a 
quarrel  and  a  pistol  shot  and  a  dead  man.  The  young  man 
dropijed  his  head  suddenly,  as  if  he  had  been  shot.  I  tried 
to  tind  him  at  the  close  of  the  service,  but  he  disappeared. 

Outside  preaching  stations  were  at  Grizzly  Park  and 
Clancy  and  Jefferson.  The  four  years  passed  quickly.  A 
neat  brick  church  was  built  and  dedicated  free  of  debt,  a 
large  Sunday-school  gathered,  when  the  physicians  advised 
me  that  the  climate  of  Montana  was  too  severe  for  me. 
August,  1876,  I  said  goodbye  to  our  beloved  church  and  on  a 
bright  clear  morning  mounted  my  cayuse  and  rode  away,, 
taldng  the  road  to  Missoula,  and  thence  6ver  the  old  Mullau 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  107 

road  to  Walla  Walla,  where  I  sold  my  outfit  and  going  to 
San  Francisco  returned  east  by  the  Central  and  Union  Pa- 
cific, glad  that  I  had  been  able  to  be  of  some  service  to  the 
Helena  Presbyterian  Church  as  its  first  minister  from  1872 
to  1876.     Perhaps  this  will  be  of  some  service. 

Cordially  yours, 

WILLIAM  C.  EOMMEL. 

THE  RISE  OF  THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN 

DEER  LODGE  AND  BUTTE. 

By  Rev.  James  R.  Russel,  Ph.  D. 

(Mr.  Russel  was  one  of  the  four  Presbyterian  ministers 
who  began  work  in  Montana  in  1872.  The  name  of  no  min- 
ister or  elder  has  been  on  the  Presbyterian  Roll  in  Montana 
as  long  as  that  of  Mr.  Russel — 35  years.  At  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Presbytery  of  Montana  in  1872,  he  was  elected 
stated  clerk,  which  office  he  held  for  twelve  years,  until  his 
resignation  in  August,  1884.  The  following  resolution  was 
adopted  concerning  his  resignation: 

'' Resolved,  That  the  Presbytery  receive  with  regret  the 
resignation  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Russel  of  the  office  of  stated  clerk 
and  desire  here  to  record  our  appreciation  of  his  long  and 
efficient  services.  We  recall  that  he  is  now  the  only  original 
member  of  the  Presbytery ;  that  he  has  kept  the  Presbyterial 
records  with  neatness  and  always  orderly,  so  that  there  has 
never  been  any  criticism  of  them  by  the  higher  courts  of  the 
Church ;  that  he  has  been  faithful  in  attendng  the  meetings 
of  Presbytery,  often  traveling  hundreds  of  miles  by  stage^ 
in  severe  weather  at  the  risk  of  his  health  and  even  to  life  to 
attend  meetings  where  he  was  about  the  only  delegate,  and 
this  at  great  expense  to  himself,  while  he  has  never  received 
any  salary,  and  that  he  has  performed  all  his  duties,  as  an 
officer  of  this  Presbytery  faithfully,  and  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  Presbytery.") 

I  arrived  at  Deer  Lodge,  June  6,  1872,  having  been  com- 
missioned by  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  to  work  in  Mon- 
tana. So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn  it  was  the  first 
visit  of  a  minister  of  our  church  to  Deer  Lodse  in  the  in- 


108 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  DEER  LODGE. 
1.     The   Church   Building   of   1874.  3.     Elder  Thomas  AV.  Catlin. 

1.     The   Manse.  4.     Elder    Thomas    Aspling. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA.  109 


terests  of  our  denomination.  After  getting  rid  of  some  of 
the  dust,  gathered  by  the  stage  ride  across  the  range,  and 
having  eaten  supper,  I  started  out  to  see  if  any  Presbyter- 
ians could  be  found  in  the  place.  I  soon  discovered  two 
prominent  business  men,  members  of  our  church  in  the  east, 
who  informed  me  that  they  did  not  see  any  special  need  of 
a  Presbyterian  church  in  Deer  Lodge  as  the  Episcopalians 
had  an  organization  and  a  minister  on  the  field.  "But  does 
that  organization  reach  and  satisfy  all  the  people,"  I  asked. 
"No,"  they  replied,  "only  a  few  attend  the  services  regu- 
larly and  the  rest  of  the  people  do  not  care  anything  about 
churches." 

The  next  morning  I  started  out  and  made  a  canvass  of  the 
town  to  see  how  many  Presbyterians  there  were  in  the  place. 
I  found  seven  communicants  and  about  30  or  35  who  had 
been  either  raised  in  our  church  or  preferred  it.  That 
evening  Eev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  the  Superintendent  of  Mis- 
sions, arrived  from  Virginia  City.  On  Saturday,  we  vis- 
ited all  those  who  had  said  they  were  members  of  the  church 
and  asked  them  to  join  in  the  organization  of  a  church  at 
Deer  Lodge.  Arrangements  were  also  made  to  hold  ser- 
vices the  next  day,  the  Episcopal  minister,  Rev.  William 
Stoy,  courteously  giving  up  his  claim  to  the  court  house 
for  the  occasion,  Mr.  Jackson  preached  morning  and  even- 
ing. 

At  the  morning  service  the  church  was  organized  with 
the  following  members,  viz :  Mrs.  L.  J.  Sharp,  Mrs.  Georgi- 
ana  Aspling,  Thomas  Aspling,  F.  B.  Miller,  Mrs.  Hortense 
Pradeau,  Miss  Jennie  D'Aclicul,  and  W.  Egbert  Smith. 

Messrs.  Aspling  and  Smith  were  elected  elders,  but  de- 
clined to  accept  the  office.  At  a  congregational  meeting 
held  subsequently,  Mr.  Smith  was  again  elected  elder.  Hav- 
ina:  been  elder  in  the  church  at  Savannah,  Missouri,  he  cou- 
sentevl  to  act  as  elder  of  this  organization  until  someone  else 
could  be  iv^und  who  would  accept  the  office. 

At  the  fivbt  meeting  of  the  Presbyteiy  of  Montana,  held  in 
Helena,  June  17th,  I  was  appointed  to  supply,  on  alternate 


THE    PRESBYTER  [AN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 


Sundays,  the  church  in  Helena  and  the  church  iu  Deer 
Lodge,  until  other  arrangements  could  be  made.  This  ar- 
rangement was  kept  up  until  the  latter  part  of  Septeml)er. 
when  Mr,  Rommel  came  to  Helena  and  I  moved  to  Deer 
Lodge.  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian  services  were  held  in 
the  court  house  alternately,  until  about  January  1,  1873, 
when  Mr.  Stoy  was  transferred  by  the  Bishop  to  Utah. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Blackwell,  a  minister  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  South,  came  to  Deer  Lodge,  and  we  occupied  the 
court  house  as  Mr.  Stoy  and  I  had  done,  until  near  the  close 
of  1873,  when  some  complications  arising  about  the  use  of  the 
county  house,  we  rented  the  Odd  Fellows '  Hall  for  religious 
services. 

From  the  fall  of  1872  to  August,  1874,  I  preached  at  the 
penitentiary  on  those  Sundays  that  I  did  not  preach  in  the 
"town  and  held  a  Sunday-school  there  every  Sunday  after- 
noon, being  assisted  by  some  ladies,  one  from  one  of  the 
Protestant  churches,  and  one  from  the  Catholic  church.  I 
then  had  to  give  up  the  work  at  the  penitentiary  on  account 
of  my  health.  But  the  Sunday-school  was  kept  up  some 
time  longer  by  church  members.  These  services  seemed  to 
be  highly  appreciated  by  the  prisoners  who,  with  but  few 
exceptions,  entered  heartily  into  the  services. 

Of  course  it  had  been  our  intention  from  the  first  to  build 
a  house  of  worship  as  soon  as  practicable  and  we  talked  up 
the  subject  whenever  the  opportunity  offered.  In  the 
spring  of  1873,  .Judge  W.  D.  Dance  broke  the  ice  by  offering 
$150  to  start  with.  Several  others  then  offered  sums  in  dif- 
ferent amounts.  Early  in  August  of  this  year  Mrs.  Thomas 
AspUng  and  Mrs.  Eobert  Kelley  started  out  with  a  subscrip- 
tion paper  and  in  one  day  canvassed  the  town  getting  nearly 
$2,000  subscribed  toward  the  building.  That  was  a  pretty 
good  start. 

A  building  committee  was  appointed  and  soon  a  lot  was 
purchased  and  contracts  let  for  material,  and  for  enclosing 
the  building.  The  contractor  was  slow,  however,  and  by 
March  1,  1874,  had  just  enough  of  the  framing  and  roofing 


•  THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  Ill 

clone  to  enable  a  big  \\ind  storm  to  blow  it  over,  at  a  cost  of 
$500  to  the  congregation.  However,  the  work  was  promptly 
taken  up  again  and  ^vithin  the  next  three  months  the  house 
was  safely  enclosed  and  the  last  dollar  of  the  subscription 
paid  out. 

All  the  inside  work  was  yet  to  be  done  and  not  a  dollar 
was  in  sight.  It  was  exceedingly  difficult  to  raise  any  more 
money  by  subscription,  for  Deer  Lodge  was  not  in  a  very 
prosperous  condition,  at  the  time.  The  ladies  set  to  work 
in  earnest.  They  managed  to  get  up  two  or  three  con- 
certs, give  entertainments,  prepared  and  served  dinners 
and  suppers,  and  devised  other  ways  to  raise  money.  I 
wrote  to  everj^one  I  could  think  of  back  east  who,  I  thought, 
would  be  likely  to  help  us  with  money.  Some  of  these  let- 
ters secured  small  amounts.  At  last  we  scraped  together 
enough  to  justify  the  building  committee  in  letting  the  con- 
tract for  the  plastering. 

Eight  here  it  might  be  of  interest  to  those  who  live  in  this 
latter  day  to  learn  something  about  the  cost  of  building  at 
that  time.  There  were  500  yards  of  plastering.  The  con- 
tract was  let  at  ninety-five  cents  a  yard.  Just  as  the  con- 
tractor had  begun  to  put  on  the  plaster,  it  suddenly-  turned 
cold.  For  about  two  weeks  the  thermometer  was  down 
below  fifty  below  zero  every  night  and  during  the  day  did 
not  get  as  high  as  ten  degrees  below  zero.  Two  large 

stoves  were  set  up  in  the  church.  The  plaster  was  put  on 
and  allowed  to  freeze  dry,  and  it  was  a  good  job.  The 
plaster  is  there  yet  thirty  years  after  it  was  done  and  not  a 
break  in  it.  Tliere  was  not  a  piece  of  timber  in  the  build- 
ing that  cost  less  than  $40.00  per  thousand  and  from  fliat 
price  to  $90.00  per  thousand.  Not  a  nail  was  driven  that 
cost  less  than  12>^  cents  per  pound  and  when  it  became 
necessary  to  buy  nails  in  the  winter  or  spring,  the  cost  was 
25  cents  per  pound. 

On  February  21,  1875,  the  first  service  was  held  in  the  new 
church,  the  first  Presbyterian  church  erected  in  ^Montana. 

The  Presbytery  of  Montana  was  to  hold  its  annual  meet- 


112  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

iiig  in  Deer  Lodge,  April  16tli  of  this  year.  At  that  time 
there  were  only  three  ministers  in  the  Presbytery,  Messrs. 
Crittenden  and  Rommel  were  expected  in  Deer  Lodge  on  the 
e^^ening  of  the  15th.  Accordingly  they  left  Helena  on  the 
coach  on  the  morning  of  that  date  ( Thursday).  They  rode 
eleven  miles  to  the  breakfast  station  and  from  that  place 
to  Deer  Lodge  walked  and  shoveled  snow.  They  arrived 
in  Deer  Lodge  on  Saturday  evening  at  eight  o  'clock,  and  let 
me  say  incidentally  that  the  stage  company  made  no  reduc- 
tion in  the  fare,  ten  cents  per  mile,  and  did  not  pay  the 
passengers  a  cent  for  their  work.  The  next  morning  com- 
munion services  were  held,  Mr.  Crittenden  preaching  the 
sermon.  In  the  evening  the  church  was  dedicated,  Mr. 
Rommel  preaching  and  Mr.  Crittenden  making  the  dedi- 
catory prayer. 

During  the  summer  there  was  an  epidemic  of  matrimony 
in  Deer  Lodge  and  I  among  the  rest  became  affected  with 
the  disease.  On  July  27th,  I  married  Mrs  Fannie  Irvine, 
daughter  of  Major  J.  F.  Forbis,  of  Helena.  She  became  a 
most  helpful  assistant  in  my  work  both  in  Deer  Lodge  and 
Butte. 

During  the  summer  and  fall  of  this  year  came  the  first 
great  quartz  excitement  at  Butte.  Quite  a  number  of  the 
members  and  supporters  of  our  church  at  Deer  Lodge  moved 
to  the  new  camp. 

April  12,  1876,  at  the  request  of  several  Presbyterians,  I 
organized  a  church  at  Missoula  with  ten  members,  Mr.  Ferd 
Kennett,  Elder. 

It  was  in  March,  1876,  that  I  made  my  first  visit  to  Butte. 
As  there  was  no  resident  minister  in  Butte,  it  was  arranged 
that  the  Presbyterians,  Episcopal,  Methodist  Episcopal  and 
Methodist  Episcopal,  South,  churches  should  each  hold  ser- 
vices once  a  month  in  Butte  until  another  arrangement 
should  be  desired. 

From  this  time  until  I  moved  to  Butte,  the  history  of  the 
church  in  Deer  Lodge  can  be  given  in  a  few  sentences.  The 
town  began  to  decline  with  the  quartz  excitement  in  Butte  in 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA.  US 


1875.  It  continued  to  decline  until  the  College  of  Montana, 
undertaken  by  the  Presbyterians,  was  well  under  way  in 
1883,  Until  that  time  the  members  received  into  the  church 
just  about  equalled  the  numbers  of  those  that  moved  away. 

(Before  continuing  Mr.  Eussel's  Narrative  we  will  insert 
a  few  facts  pertaining  to  the  later  history  of  the  Deer  Lodge 
church,  which  are  furnished  by  ]\[r.  Thomas  W.  CatUn,  who 
has  acted  as  the  clerk  of  the  session  for  over  25  years. 

Mr.  Catlin  and  Mr.  Thomas  Aspling  were  ordained  to  the 
eldership  of  the  church,  December  18,  1881,  and  still  hold 
that  office.  Mr.  Catlin  being  7^  years  old  and  Mr.  Aspling  86. 

A  Chinese  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1886  and  con- 
tinued until  1899.  During  this  time  54  scholars  were  en- 
rolled, some  of  them  attending  nearly  the  whole  of  that  time. 
The  number  of  teachers  at  different  times  was  in  all  75 — 
one  to  each  pupil.  Three  of  the  Chinamen  united  with  the 
church. 

The  annex  of  the  church  was  erected  in  1894  and  the 
manse  in  1890. 

Mr.  Catlin  writes:  "We  do  not  care  to  have  our  report 
show  that  eighteen  of  our  church  members  have  been  in  the 
penitentiary,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  eighteen  convicts  have  been 
received  as  members  on  profession  of  faith,  the  result  of 
services  held  in  the  penitentiary  by  our  ministers.  You  can 
exercise  your  own  judgment  as  to  including  this  item  in  our 
history,  or  not.  We  are  not  very  proud  of  it,  though  sev- 
eral of  these  convicts  asked  for  letters  of  dismission  when 
they  were  discharged  from  the  Pen."  During  the  past 
tliirty-three  years  there  have  been  255  additions  to  the  mem- 
bership, and  only  eighteen  deaths;  the  present  membership 
is  sixty.) 

Soon  after  I  began  to  hold  regular  services  in  Butte  the 
work  increased  so  that  I  had  to  make  from  one  to  four  trips 
a  month,  instead  of  one.  The  distance  between  the  two 
places  is  forty  miles.  It  was  more  convenient  for  me  to 
make  the  trips  for  the  most  part  in  my  buggy,  as  I  could 
then  chose  my  own  time,  day  or  night,  for  traveling,  and  not 
be  compelled  to  go  by  coach  time. 


114  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

On  these  trips  I  used  to  pick  up  the  tirst  person  I  overtook 
walking.  In  nearly  every  instance  the  person  was  some 
poor  fellow  who  had  served  his  term  in  jail  for  some  mis- 
demeanor and  was  "footing  it"  back  to  Butte.  Deer  Lodge 
was  the  county  seat  at  that  time.  This  little  act  of  civility 
on  my  part,-  without  any  thought  of  the  consequences,  gave 
me  a  hold  on  that  part  of  the  population  and  on  the  saloon 
men  and  gamblers  that  lasted  for  many  years  after  I  had 
given  up  preaching.  These  men  themselves  sometimes  at- 
tended my  services  and  their  wives  and  children  in  many 
instances  became  regular  attendants  at  our  church  and  Sun- 
day-school. In  many  instances  the  wives  united  with  our 
own  or  some  other  church  and  the  children  of  many  of  these 
families  are  now  substantial  members  of  some  church  in 
Butte,  or  in  some  other  place  to  which  they  have  moved. 

My  first  service  in  Butte  was  held  in  a  little  log  school- 
house  in  the  middle  of  the  block  where  the  Library  Building 
now  stands.  It  seemed  a  long  distance  out  of  the  way.  I 
think  the  nearest  house  was  a  livery  stable  where  the  Mantle 
Block  now  stands.  But  the  school-house  was  full  at  the 
morning  service  and  standing  room  was  scarce  in  the  even- 
ing. In  the  midst  of  the  sermon  in  the  evening  one  of  the 
lamps  fell  down  from  its  fastenings  and  the  oil  of  course 
took  fire.  There  was  no  stampede  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected. Two  or  three  men  whipped  out  the  flames  with 
their  hats  and  in  two  or  three  minutes  the  preacher  was 
proceeding  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 

For  several  months  there  was  no  public  hall  in  Butte  and 
services  were  held  in  such  places  as  could  be  found.  The 
school-house  could  not  hold  the  congregations  and  besides  it 
was  considered  too  far  out  of  the  way.  Unfinished  store- 
rooms were  our  most  frequent  meeting  places.  One  Sun- 
day I  bought  the  privilege  of  preaching  in  an  unfinished 
room  where  the  Hirbour  Block  now  stands  from  a  man  who 
had  fixed  it  up  for  a  series  of  minstrel  shows.  The  rent 
was  twenty  dollars  for  the  Sunday.  I  had  rented  the  room 
the  month  before  from  the  owner  of  the  house  for  ten  dol- 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA.  115 

lars,  but  tlie  difference  was  this,  in  the  first  instance  it  was 
the  bare  room  in  an  unfinished  building,  no  windows,  no 
doors,  the  workmen 's  benches  and  tools  in  the  room ;  in  the 
second  instance  there  was  a  stage  set  up  in  one  end  of  the 
room,  decorated  with  red  and  white  muslin  curtains,  and 
seats  of  rough  boards  set  across  boxes  and  kegs  ready  for 
use.  But  both  times  the  sermons  were  short  and  so  was 
lessened  the  danger  of  the  hearers  going  to  sleep  and  falling 
to  the  floor. 

About  this  time  Fred  Loeber  put  up  a  board  house  where 
the  California  Brewery  now  stands  and  called  it  "  Loeber 's 
Hall."  It  would  hold  comfortably  four  or  five  hundred 
people.  It  was  a  much  needed  improvement.  Here  the 
chief  magistrate  of  the  cam])  dispensed  justice  and  here 
balls,  parties,  shows,  entertainments,  religious  services  were 
held.  In  the  course  of  a  year  or  two  he  found  it  more 
profitable  to  rent  it  for  a  saloon  and  the  parties  and  preach- 
ers had  to  change  their  quarters  to  the  upper  floor  of  the 
brick  building  that  had  succeeded  the  little  log  school-house. 
The  partitions  had  not  been  put  in,  so  we  had  a  room  capable 
of  holding  about  250  or  300  people.  The  walls  were  not 
plastered,  and  the  nine  or  ten  oil  lamps  gave  out  just  about 
light  enough  to  enable  tlie  people  to  see  how  to  get  around 
without  falling  over  one  another.  ^Mien  singing  time  came 
the  men  would  take  candles  out  of  their  pockets,  light  them 
and  so  throw  light  on  the  hymns.  And  they  sang  with  their 
voices  as  well  as  with  their  s]iirits.  It  is  good  yet  to  re- 
member how  they  enjoyed  tlie  singing,  for  we  sang  only  the 
good  old  hymns  upon  which  we  had  all  been  raised. 

In  the  spring  of  1879.  the  Mountain  View  Methodist 
Church  building  was  so  far  finished  that  we  could  hold  ser- 
vices there,  and  the  several  denominations  attended  as  they 
had  been  doing  in  the  other  places  where  services  were  held. 
The  building  had  been  enclosed  and  plastered  but  the  win- 
dows were  not  yet  in.  Instead  of  glass,  muslin  was  tacked 
over  the  openings,  and  whitewashed  to  obstruct  somewhat 
the  too  free  passage  of  air  and  dust  through  the  room.    The 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


THE   FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF   BUTTE. 


Rev.   Eiko  J.   Groeneveld,   D.   D. 


r'^::;.    x..oretta   V.    Groeneveld. 


The  Church  Building. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


U7 


ELDERS    OF    THE  FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    BUTTE. 

1.  Prof.    N.    R.    Leonard.  4.     George  Raff. 

2.  John   W.    Passmore.  5.     Jesse  R.  Wharton. 

3.  Robert  T.  Brasier.  6.     Alexander  R.   Patterson. 


lis  THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

Methodists  had  not  as  yet  a  resident  i^astor  and  when  one  of 
the  other  ministers  foiled  to  keep  his  appointment  I  preach- 
ed, so  that  the  regular  services  were  kept  up  all  of  the  time. 

On  May  12,  1878,  I  organized  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Butte  with  thirteen  members.  Messrs.  Robert 
Allan  and  James  A.  Pack  were  elected  elders  and  were  or- 
dained and  installed  the  same  day. 

In  May,  1879,  following  an  order  of  the  Presbytery,  I 
moved  my  family  to  Butte.  In  the  following  September^ 
our  church  began  holding  regular  services  every  Sunday  in 
the  Good  Templars'  Hall,  a  log  building,  where  the  present 
hall  now  stands. 

October  4th,  our  Ladies  Aid  Society  was  organized. 

In  March,  1880,  the  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  was  or- 
ganized. 

In  the  summer  of  1880,  ground  was  broken  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  Presbyterian  Church  building  on  four  lots  which 
had  been  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Idaho 
streets.  On  December  26th,  we  held  our  first  service  in  the 
basement  of  the  new  church.  Lack  of  funds  prevented  the 
completion  of  the  new  building,  and  it  was  not  until  Decem- 
ber 25,  1881,  that  we  were  able  to  hold  services  in  the  main 
aundience  room.  Even  then  the  building  was  not  com- 
pleted. From  that  time  for  three  years  we  had  to  struggle 
with  debt.  But  the  congregation  and  membership  in- 
creased. 

As  the  town  grew  the  work  also  increased  on  my  hands 
and  under  the  strain  my  health  failed,  until  I  was  completely 
broken  down,  and  my  physician,  after  a  very  plain  talk  with 
me,  told  me  that  I  must  quit  work  at  once,  or  T  would  be  dead 
in  a  few  weeks.  Accordingly,  I  resigned  in  February,  1884. 
Until  November  of  this  year,  only  occasional  services  were 
held  in  the  church,  when  Rev.  Frederick  W.  Flint  came  and 
supplied  the  church  until  September,  1885.  Rev.  D.  J. 
McMillan,  D.  D.,  then  supplied  the  pulpit  for  a  year.  From 
February,  1887,  to  May,  1887,  Rev.  Lyman  E.  Hanna  preach- 
ed to  the  congregation.      Rev.  L.  M.  Schofield  of  Stockton;, 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  119 

California,  was  then  called  to  be  pastor.  He  came,  but  was 
not  installed.  He  remained  from  May  to  December,  1887. 
Then  in  May  of  this  year  Rev.  E,  J.  Groeneveld,  D.  D.,  at 
that  time  pastor  in  Deer  Lodge,  was  called  to  be  pastor.  He 
has  remained  here  nntil  now  and  has  built  the  church  up 
until  it  is  the  largest  of  our  denomination  in  Montana. 

THE  COLLEGE  OF  MONTANA. 
By  a  Former  Professor. 

The  alliance  of  the  Christian  Church  in  all  her  best  ages 
and  branches  with  liigher  education  has  been  close  and 
mutually  beneficial.  The  Presbyterian  Church  has  special 
affinities  for  learning  and  the  spread  of  knowledge  among 
the  people.  She  "educates  by  necessity  as  an  instinctive 
law  of  self-preservation. ' '  Wide  spread  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge are  essential  to  Presbyterian  growth  and  perpetuity. 
Everywhere  it  has  done  a  lasting  work  in  planting  schools, 
academies  and  colleges.  Presbyterians  are  always  and  un- 
der all  circumstances  educators  and  the  eager  promoters  of 
educational  institutions. 

Early  in  the  history  of  Montana,  the  need  of  a  school  of 
higher  education  was  felt  by  those  who  were  affiliated  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  During  the  meeting  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Miontana  in  Helena,  August  19,  1882,  the  follow- 
ing resolution  was  adopted : 

"Resolved,  that  the  Presbytery  authorize  the  Rev.  ^lessrs. 
D.  J.  McMillan,  E.  J.  Groeneveld,  and  J.  R.  Russel,  to  ne- 
gotiate for  and,  if  expedient,  buy  the  "Montana  Collegiate 
Institute,"  in  Deer  Lodge  for  the  Presbytery  of  Montana. 
This  Institute  was  a  school  at  Deer  Lodge,  which  owed  its. 
existence  primarily,  two  or  three  years  before  this  date,  to 
the  untiring  etforts  and  generous  gifts  of  citizens  of  the 
Territory,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Mr.  E.  H.  Irvine,. 
Hon.  Conrad  Kohrs,  Hon.  A.  H.  i\Iitchell,  L.  J.  Sharp,  Esq., 
Gov.  S.  T.  Hauser,  Mr.  S.  E.  Larabie  and  Hon.  W.  A.  Clark. 
A  substantial  and  suitable  building  had  been  erected  and 
the  school  was  opened  in  September,  1878,  being  the  first  in- 
stitution of  his'her  learnin2:  in  the  Territorv.       This  school 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA.  121 

was  non-sectarian.  But  soon  the  sentiment  began  to  be 
felt — and  the  Hon.  Hiram  Knowles  was  perhaps  the  first 
person  to  voice  it — that  it  would  accrue  greatly  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  school,  if  it  were  placed  under  the  patronage 
and  control  of  some  religious  denomination.  The  first  to 
respond  to  this  sentiment,  according  to  the  Third  Annual 
Catalogue  of  the  College  of  Montana,  published  in  1885,  was 
the  Presbytery  of  Montana,  which  appointed  the  above- 
mentioned  committee  to  correspond  with  the  trustees  of  the 
institution,  with  the  view  of  putting  it  upon  such  a  basis. 

A  conference  between  this  committee  and  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  "The  Montana  Collegiate  Institute"  resulted 
in  a  conveyance,  August  23,  1882,  of  the  entire  property  to 
the  committee  of  the  Presbytery.  A  debt  of  about  $6,000 
hung  over  the  property,  which  Mr.  Alanson  Trask  of  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  a  legatee  of  the  estate  of  Frederick  Marquand, 
very  generously  removed.  Mr.  Trask  happened  to  pass 
through  Montana  and  his  attention  was  called  to  this  enter- 
prise by  Rev.  E.  J.  Groeneveld,  and  when  the  case  was  fully 
laid  before  him,  and  the  facts  stated,  he  quickly  paid  the 
debt,  and  presented  the  property,  free  of  all  encumbrance,  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Montana. 

But  his  benefactions  did  not  cease  with  this.  He  made 
other  rich  gifts  to  the  struggling  institution  during  the  early 
years  of  its  existence,  and  among  the  rest  paid  the  salary 
of  the  first  president  for  three  years.  The  new  Board  of 
Trustees,  appointed  by  the  Presbytery,  the  Messrs.  J.  E. 
Russel,  E.  J.  Groeneveld,  D.  J.  McMillan,  S.  T.  Hauser  and 
J.  F.  Forbis,  incorporated  March,  1884,  under  an  act  of  the 
Legislature  of  Montana,  approved  March  3, 1883,  and  adopt- 
ed the  name  ''The  College  of  Montana."  The  articles  of 
incorporation  placed  the  college  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  and  provide  that 
''any  vacancy,  that  may  occur  by  death,  resignation,  or  by 
such  manner  as  may  be  provided  in  the  By-laws  of  this 
Corporation,  shall  be  filled  by  the  remaining  Trustees,  but 
any  choice  by  them  shall  be  subject  to  the  approval  and 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


confirmation  of  that  Synod  of  said  Prpsbyterian  Chnrch, 
within  whose  bounds  the  said  College  of  Montana  may  be 
sitnated. "  It  was  also  provided  in  these  articles,  that  the 
"particular  character  of  the  institntion  shall  be  that  of  a 
college  for  the  instruction  of  young  men  and  women  in 
literature,  in  arts,  in  the  sciences,  and  all  branches  of  learn- 
ing, that  may  be  embraced  in  and  requisite  for  a  liberal 
education," 

The  school  was  opened  under  the  new  auspices,  September 
10, 1883, and  conducted  with  varying  success,  and  in  the  midst 
of  many  difficulties  until  June  8,  1900,  when  it  was  closed. 
From  the  beginning  the  college  grew  rapidly  in  the  favor 
and  confidence  of  the  public,  until  at  one  time  it  occupied  a 
recognized  position  among  the  best  educational  institutions 
in  the  west. 

However,  after  the  Territory  of  Montana  had  been  admit- 
ted into  the  Union  as  a  state,  and  five  state  institutions  of 
various  nature  and  grade  had  sprung  up,  the  patronage 
began  to  decrease,  and  as  the  income  of  the  school  was  de- 
pendent entirely  upon  tuition  and  the  generosity  of  friends, 
and  as  the  school  had  secured  no  permanent  endowment 
funds  whatever,  it  was  impossible  to  maintain  its  standing 
among  the  other  schools  of  the  state  and  its  temporary  close 
was  decided  upon  by  the  Trustees.  During  the  year  1899- 
1900,  it  was  conducted  as  a  Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  but 
even  this  change  could  not  avert  the  impending  disaster. 

During  the  seventeen  years  of  its  existence,  the  school  had 
four  presidents:  Rev.  D.  J.  McMillan,  1882-1890;  Rev. 
James  Reid,  1890-1894;  Rev.  George  F.  Danforth,  1894-5; 
Rev.  A.  B.  Martin,  1895-1900.  At  times  the  institution 
reached  a  high  state  of  efficiency.  At  one  time  the  faculty 
numbered  fifteen  persons,  some  of  whom  are  well  known 
in  their  respective  lines,  and  are  to-day  among  the  best 
in  the  teaching  force  of  the  state  elsewhere.  The  highest 
number  of  pupils  enrolled  was  160.  Many  of  the  students 
graduated  with  honor,  and  are  found  everywhere  in  pro- 
fessional and  business  life.       The  "School  of  Mines"  de- 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


123 


THE   COLLEGE    OF   MONTANA   AT    DEER    LODGE. 
The  Faculty  of  1887: 

1.  Prof.   Frnnk  N.   Notestein.  fi.     Prof.    Theodore   Brantlv. 

2.  Mi.ss   Mary   B.   Hill.*  7.     Mis.s  Lois  Reat. 

3.  Prof.    F.    D.    Kelsey.*  8.     Miss   Kate   Calvin. 

4.  Miss   Lizzie   Woolfolk.  9.     Prof.   Frank   W.    Traphagen. 

5.  Miss   Lena   Vaughn.  10.     Pres.   Duncan  J.   McMillan.   D.   D. 
President   James   Reid.   D.   D.  President  Albert  P..  Martin. 

*Deceased. 


124  THE   PRESBTTEFnAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

partment  was  for  several  years  the  only  institution  of  its 
kind  in  the  state,  and  graduates  and  students  are  to-day 
among  the  leaders,  as  civil  and  mining  engineers,  metallur- 
gists and  superintendents  in  the  west. 

The  school  made  a  noble  record  while  it  lived,  and  many 
of  its  early  promoters  and  friends  are  confident  that  its 
eclipse  will  be  only  temporary.  "\Mien  the  school  closed  in 
1900,  it  did  so  without  any  indebtedness  whatever.  Its 
buildings  and  equipment  constitute  an  admirable  plant  for 
an  educational  institution,  to  be  conducted  apart  from  and 
in  addition  to  the  schools  of  learning  provided  by  the  state. 
A  philanthropist,  a  lover  of  the  best  interests  of  his  race 
and  country,  could  find  no  better  investment  for  permanent 
good,  than  the  endowment  of  this  institution.  Efforts  are 
now  being  made  to  tliis  end,  and  it  is  hoped  that  they  will 
succeed.  There  are  many  reasons  why  a  Christian  college 
in  Montana  should  live  and  prosper.  The  Christian  college 
originally  set  the  standard  of  American  education  and  has 
maintained  it  ever  since.  No  investment  of  the  philan- 
thropist promises  such  returns,  as  a  well  endowed  ChristiaL. 
institution. 

The  college  buildings  at  Deer  Lodge  were  leased  and  a 
private  school  was  conducted  for  about  two  years.  In 
July,  1906,  the  school  was  turned  over  to  the  Trustees  of  the 
College  of  Montana,  and  is  again  being  conducted  by  them. 
Pledges  amounting  to  $65,000  toward  an  endowment  fund  oi 
$100,000  have  been  secured,  and  the  outlook  for  its  com- 
pletion is  most  promising.  High  grade  preparatory  and 
full  college  courses  will  be  offered  next  vear. 

The  College  is  strictly  non-sectarian  in  its  requirements 
for  admission  and  in  its  courses  of  study. 

(While  reading  the  proof  of  this  history,  word  comes  from 
Prof.  L.  T.  Eaton,  President  of  The  College  of  Montana: 
''Our  $100,000,00  endowment  is  raised.  AVe  have  already 
made  plans  to  raise  $150,000.00  more  this  year,  $50,000.00 
of  which  is  to  be  used  for  buildings."     G.  E.) 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


Ii5 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CH:I'RCH   OF   :MISS01'EA. 
Rev.    Hugh    Lamont.* 
Rev.   Milton  L.    Cook.  Rev.   ^Yalter  Hays. 

♦Deceased   June  2S,   1904. 


126 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 


EECOLLEOTIONS  OF  MONTANA. 

By  Rev.  Milton  L.Cook,  the  Pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 

Chn^'ch  of  Missoula  from  May  7,  1877  to  April,  1882. 

In  May,  1877,  I  took  the  stage  at  Franklin,  Idaho,  then 
the  terminus  of  the  Utah  and  Northern  R.  R.      After  a  ride 


THE  MISSOL'I.A  PRESBYTERIAN   CHI'RCH  AND  MANSE. 

of  five  days  I  arrived  in  Helena.  Three  days  more  brought 
me  to  Missoula,  Thursday,  May  24th,  just  before  sunset. 

After  the  long  ride  and  close  shut-in  canons,  the  valley 
opening  out  in  the  glow  of  the  setting  sun  seemed  wonder- 
fully beautiful  to  me.  I  went  at  once  to  Kennedy's  Hotel 
and  that  was  my  home  for  some  time.  My  first  sermon  in 
Missoula  was,  ''Christ  the  light  of  the  world,"  on  May  27th. 

At  Deer  Lodge,  I  met  David  Carson  and  family,  coming 
from  the  east  to  superintend  the  Hope  Mine  at  Philipsburg. 
The  famity  were  earnest  christians  of  the  Presbyterian 
faith.  Having  no  services,  they  asked  me  to  come  and  preach 
for  them,  which  I  did  once  each  month  during  my  first  year 
in  Missoula.  We  established  a  Sabbath-school  there  with 
Dr.  Bowie  for  Superintendent.  I  saw  some  wild  times 
there.  One  Sabbath  while  we  were  holding  services  Ben 
Deginhash  shot  and  killed  Bronco  Sam.     It  was  while  in 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


127 


Philipsburg  that  we  heard  of  the  battle  of  the  Big  Hole  and 
knew  of  the  death  of  Captain  Logan,  Lieutenant  English 
and  others. 

June  3,  1877,  we  organized  a  Sunday-school  at  Missoula 
with  Ferd  Kennett  as  superintendent,  and  thirty-three 
were  present. 


THE    PHILIPSBURG    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

For  a  time  Mrs.  Thomas  Andrews  and  D.  F.  Simons  were 
the  principal  singers  in  our  choir  on  Sunday. 

June  19,  the  officers  and  men  to  establish  Fort  Missoula 
came  into  town. 

Dr.  R.  A.  Wells  and  wife  came  to  the  Bitter  Root  Valley 
in  July,  1877.      Their  family  was  a  help  to  our  church. 

In  July  the  Nez  Perces  Indians  came  through  the  valley 
and  the  whole  region  was  terrorized,  and  the  citizens  of 
Bitter  Root  Valley  were  nearly  all  gathered  into  three  forts. 
Fort  Owen  and  sod  forts  at  Corvallis  and  Skalkaho.    I  went 


128 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


to  the  camp  called  Fort  i^izzle,  in  the  Lo  Lo  Camion  to  meet 
the  Indians  and  was  on  gnard  one  morning  when  we  ex- 
pected the  Indians,  July  the  25th  and  also  the  26th. 

In  August  we  began  weekly  singing  at  the  house  of  Ferd 
Kennett  with  Mbody  and  Sanky  ''Gospel  Hymns."  This 
was  continued  for  some  time. 

August  3d  we  had  our  first  preparatory  service  with  eight 
present.      Communion  on  the  fifth,  at  which  time  Mr.  Ken- 


^iawm';Ma!j^g^gS£^S?EZk-''»^^drt 


THE    PHI  LIPS  BURG    MANSE. 

nett  was  ordained  as  elder.  There  were  present  only  six 
communicants. 

The  first  meeting  of  Presbytery  I  attended  was  at  Helena, 
October  5th.  Rev.  Lyman  Crittenden  preached  the  opening 
sermon.  I  was  received  at  that  meeting  into  the  Presby- 
tery of  Montana.  I  think  there  were  only  three  ministers 
of  the  Presbytery  present  to  receive  us  at  that  time. 

November  4th,  we  had  our  next  Communion.  At  that 
time  we  had  our  first  baptism,  the  infant  son  of  our  elder 
Kennett. 

On  February,  1878,  elder  Kennett  and  I  went  on  horseback 
to  Deer  Lodge,  to  attend  a  meeting  of  Presbytery.  I  was 
chosen  Moderator  at  that  time. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAX    CHURCH    IX    MONTANA.  129 


The  first  person  received  into  the  Missoula  church  on 
profession  of  faith  was  James  Wood,  aged  nearly  70  years. 
My  first  wedding  was  at  Philipsburg  at  the  home  of  jNIr. 
John  Caplice.  William  Bradshaw  and  Margaret  Sullivan 
were  the  happy  couple. 

After  the  first  year  1  preached  in  the  Bitter  Eoot  Valley 
once  a  month  at  Carlton,  Stevensville,  Corvallis,  Skalkaho, 
Etna,  Victor  and  occasionally  at  other  points. 

May  9,  1880, 1  organized  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Stev- 
ensville, and  ordained  N.  B.  Liter,  elder. 

December  8,  1881,  we  organized  the  Presbyterian  church 
at  Skalkaho,  now  Grantsdale,  C.  T.  Lathrop,  elder. 

In  February,  I  went  to  Welksville,  then  a  wild  town,  and 
preached  and  looked  over  the  ground ;  found  a  town  of  300 
men  and  only  one  woman,  five  saloons.  There  met  with  W. 
H.  Durdorff,  the  only  christian  in  the  camp,  and  even  he  had 
no  Bible.  He  afterwards  became  a  minister.  He  had  but 
recently  given  himself  to  God  when  I  was  there  and  his  life 
wonderfully  helped  the  preaching  of  the  word.  In  a  num- 
ber of  places  I  was  permitted  to  preach  the  first  sermon 
ever  heard  in  the  place. 

In  1878,  I  was  chosen  commissioner  to  the  General  As- 
sembly at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  and  on  the  way  was  delegate 
to  the  Synod  of  Colorado,  meeting  in  Denver.  In  1882,  was 
commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly  at  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois. 

I  spent  five  years  at  the  beginning  of  my  ministry  in  Mon- 
tana and  they  were  happy  years  and  full  of  work. 

(In  the  above  recollections  Brother  Cook  seems  to  have 
forgotten  his  going  to  Presbytery  in  1879,  but  as  his  own 
account  is  embalmed  in  Dr.  Jackson's  Scrap  Book,  it  does 
not  much  matter.  He  wrote,  ''I  have  just  been  to  Presby- 
tery! and  had  a  long  tedious  trip  in  a  severe  snow-storm. 
Was  eight  hours  going  ten  miles  in  the  coach.  Lost  our 
way  many  times  in  the  blinding  storm,  without  road,  fences, 
or  trees  to  guide  us.  One  thinks  very  fast  when  wandering 
several  hours  in  the  moimtains  without  seeing  any  familiar 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


object,  knowing  that  we  were  lost,  without  food  or  fire,  and 
the  team  worn  out,  and  one  horse  down,  and  refusing  a  long 
time  to  rise.      AYe  tried  it  on  this  trip  and  know. 

AVlien  Presbytery  costs  us  ^50  and  days  of  weariness,  we 
appreciate  it.  We  feel  tliat  it  is  good  to  take  a  brother 
minister  by  the  hand  at  least  once  a  year.  We  studied  and 
reasoned  together  about  our  plans  of  work — how  the  little 
handful  could  reach  the  most  men  and  do  the  most  good. 
We  sent  Brother  Eussel  to  Butte;  made  Hewitt  Preb^^terial 
Missionary;  elected  Hewitt  Commissioner  to  the  General 
Assembly.  We  asked  the  Board  to  help  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  man  who  should  supply  the  pulpit  at  Helena  and  advised 
that  church  to  make  the  next  man  they  chose  ''pastor." 
For  we  own  with  sorrow  that  we  have  no  "installed  pas- 
tors" in  Montana.  In  1878,  he  wrote:  ''One  evening  I 
was  called  upon  to  visit  a  man  supposed  to  be  dying.  He 
was  raised  in  Texas,  and  has  been  on  the  frontier  all  his 
life.  Just  before  his  sickness  he  had  bought  a  Testament, 
and  found  that  he  was  a  sinner,  but  that  He  was  merciful. 
He  told  me  his  life  of  sin.  Before  leaving  we  prayed  to- 
gether. I  think  that  if  anyone  could  have  heard  that 
prayer  they  must  have  believed  that  the  man  had  faith.  The 
language  was  equal  to  any  of  Bret  Harte's,  or  Mark 
Twain's,  as  he  asked  in  the  strong  western  wa^^  for  pardon 
and  peace,  for  stronger  faith  and  more  light.  Tears  came 
to  my  eyes,  and  I  came  home  through  the  frosty  night  feel- 
ing that  it  was  good  to  walk  a  mile  to  see  such  faith,  and 
hear  such  a  prayer.") 

EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCHES  OF  THE 

BITTER  ROOT  VALLEY. 

By  Rev.  Edwin  M.  Ellis. 

1.     Stevensville. — I    reached    Stevensville    in    October, 

1884.     Rev.  George  M.  Fisher  of  MissouLa   took  me  up  the 

valley  in  his  buggy,  there  being  no  railroad  there  at  the 

time.      I  found  at  Stevensville  that  a  Presbyterian  church 

had  been  organized  on  ]\lny  9,  LS80,  in  the  hall  over  the 

Missoula  Mercantile  Com]^any's  store,  then  Eddy  and  Ray- 


132 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


WORKERS    IN    THE   BITTER    ROOT    VAT.T.EY. 

1.  Rev.    William    Cobleig-h.  3.     Rev.   Edwin  M.   Ellis. 

2.  Rev.  Jesse  C.  Wilson.  4.     The    Stevensville    Church. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA.  133 

moiid's,  I  think.  Rev,  J.  L.  Henning  preached  the  sermon. 
Rev.  M.  L.  Cook,  who  had  visited  Stevensville  and  other 
valley  points  from  Missoula  for  more  than  a  year,  assisted 
Rev.  Henning.  The  church  was  organized  with  12  mem- 
bers, N.  B.  Liter,  elder. 

In  December,  1882,  Rev.  George  M.  Fisher  came  to  Mis- 
soula and  preached  at  Stevensville  and  other  valley  points 
once  a  month. 

On  my  arrival  there  was  but  a  thin  shadow  of  a  church, 
or  organization  then  existing  in  Stevensville,  most  of  the 
members  had  gone.  We  began  services  in  the  hall  over 
the  new  school-house.  Late  in  December,  1884,  or  early 
in  January,  1885,  Brother  Wilder  Nutting,  a  Methodist,  and 
I  held  protracted  meetings  for  eight  weeks,  during  which 
30  or  35  professed  Christ,,  nearly  all  of  them  united  with 
our  church.  On  January  25th,  1885,  Dr.  R.  A.  Wells,  W.  D. 
Cummings,  and  James  Simpson  were  ordained  as  Elders; 
three  Trustees,  the  same  persons,  perhaps,  were  elected 
about  the  same  time. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  as  a  Union  School,  and 
was  held  in  the  school-house  for  a  time  and  afterwards  was 
held  in  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  though  it  may  have  been 
in  the  church  from  the  first. 

Lots  were  soon  secured  for  a  church  building,  but  no 
further  efforts  were  made  to  build  until  1889.  The  church 
was  dedicated  in  1890,  about  July.  Before  dedication  all 
debts  were  paid  or  provided  for  with  75  cents  in  the  treas- 
ury. However,  after  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  James  Reid  of 
Deer  Lodge,  the  congregation  gladly  subscribed  enough 
money  to  get  a  good  bell.  I  resigned  in  the  fall  of  1891, 
and  took  up  the  work  of  Sabbath-school  Missionary,  at  the 
request  of  the  Presbytery  of  Montana. 

2.  CoRVALLis. — In  connection  with  the  work  at  Stevens- 
ville, I  preached  at  Corvallis  once  or  twice  a  month.  Early 
in  December,  1884,  Rev.  Geo.  M.  Fisher  and  I  held  a  series 
of  meetings  for  a  week  or  ten  days  there,  which  resulted  in 
organizing  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Corvallis,  with 


134  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 

13  members.  J.  W.  Po]iliam,  M.  M.  Ijockwood  and  John 
F.  Simpson  were  ordained  as  elders,  December  14,  1884. 

Soon  after  this  organization  steps  were  taken  to  build  a 
ehnrch,  the  first  Presbyterian  chnrch  building  in  the  valley. 
Money  was  scarce  and  the  so-called  "Bitter  Root  turns" 
were  frequently  made;  that  is,  wheat,  oats,  hay,  labor  and 
lumber,  were  given  in  payment  of  subscriptions.  The 
building  cost  very  close  to  $2,700.00  before  everything  was 
paid  for. 

Presbytery  met  November,  1886,  in  the  new  and  yet  unfin- 
ished church  and  dedicated  it  free  of  debt,  by  then  sub- 
scribing about  $50.00.  Dr.  D.  J.  McMillan,  of  Deer  Lodge, 
solicited  the  contributions,  telling  the  congregation  that  a 
fine  lunch  was  ready  and  waiting  in  a  neighborhood  build- 
ing, but  under  lock  and  key,  until  the  debt  should  be  pro- 
vided for.  In  a  very  few  minutes  the  needed  sum  was 
raised,  much  to  the  joy  of  all  concerned.  This  was  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  on  that  night,  or  perhaps  on  Monday 
night,  the  children  gave  many  dimes  with  which  to  secure 
a  pulpit  Bible  and  other  pulpit  supplies.  Those  dimes  were 
collected  in  a  beautiful  glass  jug  given  to  me  by  a  little  boy 
in  Millville,  N.  J.,  by  the  name  of  Bennie  Rumbf,  a  lovely 
little  fellow,  who  wanted  it  filled  with  dimes  for  some  good 
purpose  out  here  in  Montana.  I  think  more  than  $17.00 
were  thus  collected. 

Soon  after  this,  sometime  in  1887,  Rev.  William  Cobleigh 
came  to  Montana.  The  pastor  in  Missoula  found  him  and 
arrangements  were  made  for  him  to  work  at  Corvallis  and 
Grantsdale. 

During  the  building  of  the  Corvallis  church,  our  Presby- 
terial  Missionary,  Rev.  E.  P.  Linnell,  secured  the  services 
of  Jesse  C.  Wilson,  a  young  theological  student,  whose 
health  had  failed,  to  assist  me  in  the  work.  Brother  Wil- 
son had  been  working  as  a  sheep  herder,  around  Miles  City, 
and,  he  worked  at  other  things  also,  until  his  health  had  so 
improved  as  to  admit  of  his  doing  some  preacliing  again. 
He  had  a  fine  Christian  spirit  and  made  many  friends  and 


THE)   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MOXTANA.  135 

was  a  great  help  to  me  in  those  strenuous  clays  of  church 
building. 

(Before  going  to  Corvallis  Mr.  Wilson  preached  at  Great 
Falls  where  the  church  had  just  been  organized.  After  as- 
sisting Mr.  Ellis  he  preached  for  six  months  at  Wickes  and 
Boulder.  After  finishing  his  studies  he  spent  eight  years 
as  a  Foreign  Missionary  in  South  America.) 

3.  Skalkaho  and  Grantsdale. — The  Skalkaho  church  on 
Skalkaho  Creek  was  a  well  nigh  vanished  quantity  when  I 
went  to  the  Bitter  Root  Valley  in  October,  1884.  There 
were  but  two  lady  members  at  that  time  and  the  church  was 
disbanded  by  Presbytery  February  7,  1885,  and  the  two 
members  were  transferred  to  ihe  roll  of  the  Corvallis  church. 

We  started  a  Sunday-school,  however,  in  the  school-house 
and  preached  there  once  a  month.  But  the  Sabbath-school 
was  of  a  very  intermittent  character;  sometimes  it  "went" 
and  sometimes  it  didn't  "went." 

The  Bitter  Root  railroad  had  reached,  or  was  to  reach, 
the  Skalkaho  creek  very  soon.  A  man  by  the  name  of  H. 
H.  Grant  had  come  to  the  valley  with  a  few  thousand  dollars 
who  laid  out  a  townsite  and  called  it  Grantsdale,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  creek  from  the  old  school-house.  On 
March  18, 1887, 1  organized  the  Grantsdale  church  in  the  old 
Skalkaho  school-house  with  nine  members,  David  Shearer, 
elder.  Mr.  Grant  gave  lots  and  a  liberal  subscription  and 
a  church  building  was  soon  under  way  and  was  dedicated 
free  of  debt  in  November,  1887.  Rev.  William  Cobleigh 
preached  the  sermon  and  began  regular  work  there  about 
that  time. 

Little  Bennie  Rumbf 's  glass  money  jug  did  good  service 
at  this  dedication  also,  into  which  the  children  dropped 
$8.50. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  about  this  time,  or 
the  Sabbath-school  was  transferred  from  the  old  Skalkaho 
school-house.  It  was  rather  uphill  work  for  the  school.  It 
was  re-organized  in  1890  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Russel  and  by  myself 
on  November  1,  1891,  soon  after  I  began  Sundav-school 


136  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

missionary  work.       Eev.  H.  A.  Bradford  was  present  and 
took  charge  of  the  work  here  about  that  time. 

4.  Victor. — Revs.  M.  L.  Cook  and  George  M.  Fisher  liad 
preached  at  Victor  before  I  came  to  Montana.  Wlien  I 
came  on  the  ground  there  were  three  or  four  members  of 
the  Stevensville  church  living  at  Victor.  I  had  monthly 
appointments  there.  The  services  were  held  in  an  old 
shack  of  a  school-house,  which  was  generally  well  filled. 
The  settlers  came  in  freight  wagons  and  on  horse  back  for 
miles  around,  and  their  teams  and  saddle  horses  made  quite 
a  display  as  they  were  hitched  along  the  fence,  which  took 
me  back  to  the  New  England  Sabbaths  of  my  boyhood. 
There  were  in  town  in  those  days  one  dwelling  house,  one 
small  store,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  the  school-house. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  soon  organized,  late  in  1884,  or 
spring  of  1885.  The  Sabbath-school  flourished  nicely  and 
was  largely  attended  by  old  and  young. 

After  holding  a  protracted  meeting  in  February,  1886,  I 
organized  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Victor,  March 
5,  1886,  with  12  members.     M.  M.  Williams,  elder. 

After  Brother  Cobleigh  went  to  Corvallis  and  Grantsdale, 
I  confined  my  work  to  Stevensville  and  Victor,  preacliing 
also  at  Carlton  once  a  month  in  the  M.  E.  Church  and  occa- 
sionally at  Eight  Mile,  Burnt  Fork  and  Etna,  continuing 
this  work  until  October,  1891. 

5.  Hamilton. — 1  think  that  Hamilton  was  laid  out  in 
1890.  By  October,  1891,  it  was  a  very  small  village,  located 
between  Corvallis  and  Grantsdale,  on  an  open  prairie  over 
which  I  had  ridden  many  times,  little  thinking  that  there 
would  be  the  site  of  the  largest  city  of  the  valley.  I  visited 
the  place  for  the  first  time  in  October,  1891,  as  Sabbath- 
school  missionary.  The  public  school  was  being  held  in  a 
vacant  restaurant  building.  We  organized  the  Sabbath- 
school  November  1,  1891,  in  a  hall  over  a  saloon  building 
which  I  rented  at  $2.00  per  Sunday.  This  was  the  first 
school  that  I  organized  as  a  Sabbath-school  missionary. 
The  children  agreed  to  earn  money  by  bringing  in  wood, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


137 


THE  HAMILTON   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

1.  The  Church  and  Manse.  4.     Mrs.      Jessie      Robertson      (charter 

2.  Rev.   Joseph  E.   Burkhart.  member). 

3.  Mrs.     M.     J.     King-Price     (charter 

member). 


138  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


milking  cows,  rocking  the  baby  and  wiping  the  dishes,  to 
pay  tlie  rent  of  the  room.  When  this  became  known  there 
was  a  storm  and  the  restaurant  building,  used  as  a  school- 
house,  which  had  been  refused  before,  was  speedily  opened 
free  to  the  Sabbath-school.  Wlien  the  school  closed  we 
went  back  to  the  hall,  paying  50  cents  per  Sunday.  Another 
hall  over  another  saloon  next  a  hotel  was  offered  to  us  free 
and  here  the  Sabbath-school  met  until  Dr.  Wishard  came 
and  assisted  me  in  organizing  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Hamilton.  The  date  of  organization  was  July  3d,  1892.; 
The  Sunday-school  was  notified  again  to  move  on.  A  car- 
penter, by  the  name  of  Joe  McLaren,  offered  the  use  of  an 
unfinished  store  building,  open  on  one  side  and  two  ends. 
Here  the  Sabbath-school  met  for  some  weeks  among  the 
shavings,  blocks,  boards,  nail  kegs,  until  a  room  was 
finished  in  the  new  school-house,  where  more  comfortable 
quarters  were  found.  This  Sabbath-school  and  church 
were  the  first  religious  organizations  in  the  town.  Steps- 
were  soon  taken  to  build  a  church,  which  was  opened  for 
worship  in  1892. 

HISTORY  OF  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH  OF 

WICKES. 
By  Rev.  Thomas  A.  Wickes. 
The  Presbyterian  church  of  Wickes  was  organized  July 
13,  1880,  and  was  exceptional  in  several  particulars  and  of 
unusual  interest  and  singularly  free  from  sectarianism.  As- 
a  body,  it  simply  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Presbyterian 
denomination.  It  was  the  outcome  of  the  Christian  fidelity 
of  one  man,  William  W.  Wickes,  at  that  time  senior  elder 
in  Dr.  T.  L.  Cuyler's  church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  As  president 
of  a  mining  company  he  came  to  this  camp,  which  was  named 
for  him  by  the  Alta  IVtontana  Co.,  and  remained  there  for 
about  a  year,  superintending  the  construction  of  the  works 
of  the  company.  He  studiously  observed  the  Sabbath  and 
held  meetings  in  a  reading  room  which  he  himself  built  at 
his  own  expense  for  the  men.      Subsequently  he  brought  to- 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


139 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    WICKES. 

1.  William    W.    Wickes.  3.     Rev.  Thomas  N.  Todd. 

2.  Rev.    T'homa.s    A.    Wiekes.  4.     Rev.    Lyman    E.    Hanna. 

.5.     Elder   Herbert   O.   Nash. 


140 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 


the  camp  his  nephew,  Rev.  Thomas  A.  Wickes,  who  had 
given  up  the  ministry  on  account  of  broken  health,  and  had 
his  co-operation  in  religions  work  for  the  men.  Their  joint 
labors  resulted  in  awakening  an  interest  in  Christian  work. 
Ere  long  this  sentiment  resulted  in  the  Christians  of  the  var- 
ious denominations,  represented  in  the  community,  taking 
action,  organizing  themselves  into  a  church  and  by  unani- 


THE    WICKES    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

mous  vote  decided  that  it  should  be  a  Presbyterian  Church 
out  of  regard  to  William  W.  Wickes,  who  had  done  so  much 
for  the  moral  and  religious  welfare  of  the  men  before  his  de- 
parture. 

The  denominations  represented  in  this  action  were  Meth- 
odist, Congregational,  Lutheran,  Presbyterian  and  United 
Presbyterian,  the  representation  being  in  the  order  named. 
Rev.  T.  A.  Wickes,  who  was  a  Congregational  minister,  was 
sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  fall  meeting  of  Presbytery  of  that 
year  at  Butte,  to  make  request  for  admission  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Montana,  which  was  granted  and  Mr.  AVickes  was 
also  received  as  a  member  from  the  Congregational  body 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  141 

by  letter.  He  is  still  a  member,  being  next  to  Eev,  J.  R. 
Russel  the  oldest  member  of  the  Synod  of  Montana. 

The  prosperity  of  the  church  was  in  keeping  with  the 
usual  ups  and  downs  of  a  mining  camp  and  its  end  like- 
wise. It  was  at  one  time  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
churches  in  the  state,  but  only  for  a  short  while,  for  after 
many  failures  the  works  were  removed  to  East  Helena,  and 
later  the  mine  was  closed  down,  and  at  last  the  community 
drifted  away  and  in  1905  the  church  was  dropped  from  the 
roll  of  the  Presbytery  and  the  doors  of  the  building  closed. 

Eev.  W.  G.  Pollock  served  the  church  as  its  first  supply. 
Rev.  T.  N.  Todd  came  next  and  was  installed  as  pastor  and 
while  laboring  there  began  mission  work  at  Eoulder,  a  town 
distant  about  ten  miles,  and  planted  the  seed  which  bore 
fruit  in  the  establishment  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church 
of  this  county-seat,  Boulder.  Rev.  Lyman  E.  Hanna  fol- 
lowed him  and  afterwards  Rev.  Jesse  C.  Wilson,  Rev,  John 
F.  Lynn,  Rev.  C.  H.  Grube,  Rev.  S.  B.  McClelland  and 
Rev.  A.  P.  Haydon. 

During  the  first  four  years  of  the  history  of  this  church, 
Rev.  T.  A.  Wickes  added  his  personal  services,  often  as  the 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  and  also  j^reaching 
when  the  church  was  without  a  pastor.  The  social  work 
carried  on  through  the  church  accompJished  much  for  the 
moral  and  religious  good  of  the  entire  community  which  was 
composed  of  a  few  families  and  scores,  sometimes  hundreds 
of  homeless  men. 

At  first  thought  it  might  be  supposed  that  the  Board  of 
Church  Erection  and  Plome  Missions  had  unwisely  expended 
money  in  this  camp,  but  when  it  is  known  that  during  its 
history  of  about  25  years,  and  the  most  stirring  days  of  the 
first  ten  years,  that  98  were  enrolled  on  the  books,  of  whom 
58  were  received  on  profession  of  faith;  that  the  Christian 
faith  was  most  earnestly  preached  and  Uved  by  its  members 
before  hundreds  of  the  people ;  that  from  this  church  were 
scattered  over  the  state  these  98  Christians  to  help  support 
other  churches;  tliat  among  tliese  have  been  those  who  have 


1^2  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

filled  the  offices  of  the  Sabbath-school  superintendent,  elder, 
deacon,  and  steward,  in  different  churches,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  measure  the  ever-widening  influences  for  good 
accomplished  in  that  church  whose  doors  are  now  closed  and 
whose  bell  is  now  silent.  Through  these  earnest  Christians, 
who  were  scattered  like  the  sorrowful  church  of  Jerusalem, 
it  was  that  a  greater  work  might  be  done  through  all  Mon- 
tana, in  that  early  day,  when  to  stand  as  a  Christian  among 
the  multitudes  of  godless  fortune  seekers  was  as  a  beacon 
light  in  the  midst  of  turbulent  breakers.  If  there  is  re- 
joicing in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  is  saved,  what  must 
be  the  measure  of  joy  over  58  added  unto  the  Lord  in  the 
brief  history  of  the  church? 

THE  EVOLUTION  OF  A  PIONEER  CHURCH— MILES 

CITY. 

The  first  part  of  this  sketch  of  the  Miles  City  Presbyterian 
Church  is  from  an  article  published  in  the  Interior,  January 
1,  1903,  probably  written  by  Rev.  Edward  McCullough  Cal- 
vin, pastor  of  the  church  from  April,  1897  to  July  1,  1905. 

Into  this  typical  frontier  town  the  Presbyterian  Church 
came  as  the  religious  pioneer  in  January,  1879.  An  upper 
room  over  a  Jewish  clothing  store,  with  no  furniture  but  a 
stove,  accommodated  the  first  congregation.  Nail  kegs  and 
boards  were  used  for  pews  and  a  small  organ  was  found  for 
the  ser\ice.  A  Sunday-school  was  then  organized  with 
Mr.  George  M.  Miles  as  superintendent.  He  had  recently 
arrived  from  Massachusetts  to  be  the  civilian  clerk  of  his 
uncle,  General  Nelson  A.  Miles,  in  command  at  Fort  Keogh, 
located  here.  Mr.  Miles  is  still  the  superintendent, — the 
only  one  the  school  has  ever  cared  to  have.  No  one  could 
be  more  faithful  and  devoted.  After  serving  for  25  years 
he  was  presented  with  a  silver  loving  cup. 

The  church  organization  was  eifected  October  20th,  1880, 
with  13  members,  by  Rev.  AV.  L.  Austin,  who  supplied  the 
pulpit  until  May  of  the  following  year.  Judge  J.  W.  Stre- 
vell  and  Mr.  M.  G.  Maples  were  elected  as  the  first  elders. 
Judge  Strevell  served  in  tin's  office  until  his  death  in  1903. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


143 


T-HE    PRESBYTERIAN  CHl'RCH   OF   MILES   CITY. 

1.  Rev.   Edward  M.   Calvin.  5.     Mrs.    Helen    Strevell-Milss.*** 

2.  Elder    Jason    W.    Strevell.*  *Deceased  Feb.  27,   1903. 

3.  Mrs.  J.  W.  Strevell.**  **Deceased  July  11,   1902. 

4.  Elder   George   M.    Miles.  ***Deceased   July   11.    1SS7. 


144  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

He  always  took  an  active  ilart  in  church  work,  frequently 
represented  the  church  in  the  meetings  of  Presbytery  and 
was  thrice  a  commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly. 

For  23  3^ears  the  Miles  City  Church  was  an  outpost  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  being  the  only  Presbyterian  organiza- 
tion in  a  stretch  of  582  miles  along  the  main  line  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railway,  from  Bozeman,  Montana,  to  Man- 
dan,  N.  D.,  until  the  organization  at  Billings  in  1903. 

In  1899  Mrs.  J.  W.  Strevell  published  a  book  containing 
nearly  one  hundred  short  religious  poems,  dedicated  ''To 
the  Memory  of  my  Beloved  Daughter,  Helen  Strevell  Miles." 
The  poem  read  at  the  Fifteenth  Anniversary  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Miles  City  is  so  closely  in  sympathy 
with  the  subject  of  pioneer  religious  work  that  we  will  quote 
it  in  part. 

OTJR  EAKLY  CHURCH. 

On  uncongenial  soil  a  tender  plant  appeared, 
Born  of  the  night,  scarce  seen,  so  small  and  low, 

Not  by  refreshing  stream,  nor  meadow  green, 
But  on  the  desert.     Can  it  live  and  grow  1 

Few  laborers  there  were  to  till  the  soil, 

Few  toilers  who  with  ceaseless  care 
Must  guard  its  growth, and  shield  from  harmand  wrong, 

Until  its  leaves  of  healing  rise  in  air. 

The  tender  plant  has  grown  a  goodly  tree, 
Its  branches  tending  upward  toward  the  slvy. 

A  Master  hand  has  planted  and  will  keep, 
Wlien  troubles  rise  His  help  is  ever  nigh. 

Our  Earthh^  Church.     We  love  thy  sacred  walls, 
We  love  the  memories  that  cluster  round 

Of  some  departed,  som.e  far  hence  removed, 
Of  other  newer  friends,  and  later  found. 

Our  Father,  Helper,  Friend,  we  look  to  Thee, 
Spread  Thou  Thy  wins:s  of  love  our  spirits  o'er. 

Destroy  the  tempter's  power  and  bring  us  to 
A  glad  reunion  on  the  other  Shore. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


145 


SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  MISSIONS. 

1.  Rev.    Duncan  J.    McMillan,   D.   D.  4.     Rev.   Chas.   F.  Richardson. 

2.  Rev.    Samuel    E.    Wishard,    D.    D.  5.     Rev.   Edward   P.    I.innell.* 

3.  Rev.    Frederick    H.    Gwynne,    D.    D.  *Deceased  July,    1886. 


146  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


A  FEW  NOTES  FROM  MEMORY. 
By  Rev.  Duncan  J.  McMillan,  D.  D. 
New  York  Presbj^terian  Cliiireh,  Januaiy  30,  1906. 
My  Dear  Brother  Edwards : 

I  have  a  moment  to  spare  and  it  has  occurred  to  me  that 
a  few  notes  from  memory  may  help  you,  or  at  least  be  an 
index. 

January,  1881,  I  visited  Dillon,  a  collection  of  tents  and 
rough  board  shanties  at  the  temporary  terminus  of  the  Utah 
Northern  Railway,  a  narrow  gauge  road  that  had  reached 
that  point  a  few  days  before.  I  preached  to  a  good  congre- 
gation, visited  every  family  in  the  village,  promised  to  ob- 
tain a  minister  and  organize  a  church.  But  before  I  could 
get  a  minister,  the  Methodists  came  in  and  organized.  I 
staid  away,  (though  repeatedly  urged  to  return  and  or- 
ganize), until  in  1888,  I  was  invited  by  the  Methodist  min- 
ister to  come  and  organize  and  help  him  save  the  town,  then 
grown  to  cityhood.  I  did  so.  T  organized  in  the  Metho- 
dist church,  September  16,  1888. 

From  Dillon,  January,  1881,  I  went  by  sleigh  to  Glendale. 
Preached,  lectured  and  visited  all  the  families  and  found 
that  it  was  a  Baptist  community,  more  of  that  denomina- 
tion than  all  others  combined.  But  the  Baptists  had  no 
work  in  Montana  and  the  people  of  Glendale  said,  "Send 
us  a  minister.  We  will  unite  under  him."  I  said,  "No. 
I'll  get  you  a  good  deep  water  Baptist."  I  wrote  to  theii 
Board  and  they  sent  Rev.  JM.  J.  Lamb ;  also  Dwight  Spencer 
who  went  ahead  and  developed  work  in  the  Territory.  (The 
work  at  Glendale  tinally  merged  into  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Melrose,  which  was  organized  August  16,  1903, 
with  21  members.) 

From  Glendale  I  went  by  sleigh  to  Butte,  then  a  roaring 
mining  camp.  Russel  was  there  doing  grand  work.  From 
Butte  Russel  and  I  went  by  sleigh  (40  degrees  below  zero) 
to  Wickes  to  the  meeting  of  Presbytery.  Your  Presbyterial 
Records  will  tell  you  all  about  that  meeting  and  that  church. 

I  went  by  sleigh  to  Helena  and  Deer  Lodge,  and  on  to 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   OF   MELROSE. 

1.  The    Church    Building.  3.     Elder    E.    H.    Harvey. 

2.  Rev.   Hug-h   W.   Jones.  4.     Elder    H.    H.    Townshend,    M.    D. 

5.     Elder   Adolph    Gortemuller. 


14S 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  ANACONDA. 
1.     The  Church  Building.  2.     Rev.   George  H.   Healy. 

3.     Rev.   Harry   A.    Carnahan. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  149 


iMissoula,  preaching  in  those  churches.,  Eev.  M.  L.  Cook 
was  then  at  Missoula.  He  and  I  went  up  the  Bitter  Eoot 
Valley  on  a  preaching  tour.  We  organized  a  church  at 
Skalkaho  school-house,  now  Grantsdale.  I  need  not  write 
of  subsequent  visits. 

1882.  I  secured  Groeneveld,  a  Princeton  student,  for 
Deer  Lodge  and  Linnell  from  German  Valley,  N.  J.,  for 
Miles  City.  I  visited  Miles  City,  terminus  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway,  that  summer,  stopping  at  Forsyth  and 
holding  the  first  service.  There  were  but  two  houses  in  the 
town,  one  of  these  unfinished.  There  was  no  Billings  then, 
nor  any  sign  of  a  human  habitation.  The  little  frontier 
village  of  Coulson  was  flourishing  as  a  stage  station  and 
landing.      Billings  afterwards  sprang  up  like  a  mushroom. 

There  was  no  Livingston,  only  a  ferry  and  a  dug-out. 
Subsequently  I  returned  to  Livingston  and  placed  Rev,  L.  E. 
Hanna  there.  He  had  begun  services  and  labored  but  a 
few  weeks  when  the  Congregationalists  sent  Archibald  to 
that  town  with  instructions  to  stay  at  all  events.  The  vil- 
lage was  not  large  enough  to  justify  two  churches  so  much 
alike,  and  since  the  Congregationalists  had  come  to  stay,  I 
withdrew  our  man  and  gave  them  the  field. 

On  the  first  day  of  this  year  I  was  at  Wliite  Sulphur 
Springs  and  organized  a  church  of  eight  members,  B.  W. 
Badger,  elder.      I  visited  this  field  again  in  1883. 

In  February,  1883,  I  made  a  perilous  voyage  to  Fort  Ben- 
ton by  sleigh, — 52  degrees  below  zero.  Was  lost  all  night 
in  the  mountain  pass;  but  we  got  there.  Was  royally  en- 
tertained at  Mr.  Conrad's,  father  of  W.  G.  and  Charlie.  The 
new  hotel  let  us  use  their  dining  room  for  service.  Sub- 
sequently we  were  tendered  the  free  use  of  a  store  building 
from  a  Jewish  firm,  the  most  generous  help  I  ever  received 
from  anj^one,  Jew,  Gentile,  saint  or  sinner.  God  bless 
those  noble  children  of  Israel.  We  organized  in  that 
building  a  young  church  of  bright  promise.  The  ladies 
got  up  a  fair  and  festival  and  made  money  enough  to  fur- 
nish the  room  for  church  purposes,  chairs,  pulpit,  organ, 


150  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


hymn  books  and  all.  1  spent  a  week  preaching  every  night 
previous  to  the  organization,  which  dates  February  19,  1883. 

When  I  visited  Montana  lirst  in  1881,  the  Presbytery  con- 
sisted of  six  churches  with  "the  tliree  R's",  Russel,  Rommel 
and  Richards,  with  the  middle  ''R"  gone  east  to  stay.  Cook 
was  just  come  and  Wickes  had  leaned  over  from  the  Congre- 
gationalists  to  help  out.  He  became  one  of  the  noblest 
Presbyterians  of  them  all.  Rev.  W.  Scott  Stites  was  tem- 
porarily supplying  the  Helena  Church. 

One  fine  Monday,  Mr.  Russel  and  I  went  over  from  Butte 
to  Anaconda,  when  that  shanty  town  had  come  into  exist- 
ence, and  held,  that  evening,  the  first  preaching  services  ever 
held  in  that  town.  The  people  gathered  in  a  new  unfinished 
board  cottage  by  the  kind  invitation  of  the  family  who  ex- 
isted there.  We  might  have  organized,  but  I  was  about 
relinquishing  the  Mission  Work  to  attempt  the  college  enter- 
prise. I  had  recommended  Linnell  as  my  successor  and  I 
desired  him  to  have  the  honor  of  organizing  as,  at  that  time, 
there  was  no  other  prospective  church  for  him  to  organize. 
Wlien  he  was  appointed,  I  invited  him  as  my  guest  to  accom- 
pany me  to  Anaconda,  which  he  did,  and  we  organized  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1886. 

In  1889,  when  I  was  president  of  the  College  of  Montana, 
I  visited  Granite  on  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Thomas  Weir, 
then  superintendent  of  the  Granite  Mountain  Mine.  The 
first  sermon  was  preached  in  an  upper  room  of  a  rude  board 
building.  A  very  intelligent  congregation  was  present. 
Among  them  six  college  gradutes;  one,  I  remember,  from 
Yale,  one  from  Union  College.  I  do  not  recall  the  other 
colleges  represented.  After  continuing  the  services  for  a 
time,  we  organized,  March  16,  1889,  then  later  erected  a 
church  building,  furnished  and  equipped  with  organ  and 
hymn  books,  and  then  I  secured  Rev.  Arthur  C.  McMillan  for 
them.  Neither  the  Board  of  Church  Erection  nor  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions  was  called  upon  for  a  dollar;  it 
was  self-supporting  from  the  first  by  the  wise  management 
and  financiering  of  elder  Thomas  Weir.      At  the  dedication. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  151 


July  28tli,  1889,  we  took  up  a  collection  for  the  Board  of 
Cliurcli  erection  to  help  weak  churches,  to  build. 

I  might  indulge  in  personal  reminiscenes,  if  I  had  the 
time,  but  they  would  not  be  of  so  much  interest  to  you  in 
reading  as  to  me  in  writing.  Sleighing,  staging,  and  pri- 
vate conveyance  were  the  only  possible  means  of  travel. 
The  times  were  strenuous,  snows  deep,  winters  cold,  and 
prices  high.  Even  after  I  removed  from  Salt  Lake  City  to 
Deer  Lodge  it  cost  me  $55  to  attend  Presbytery  at  Miles 
City,  at  half  fare  rates.  I  always  felt  like  taking  off  my 
hat  to  those  pioneers  who  went  before  me,  "the  three  R's.'* 

Yours, 

D.  J.  McMillan. 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  FORT  BENTON. 
Taking  Dr.  McMillan's  Notes  as  an  ''index"  we  will  gather 
together  a  few  facts  as  to  the  work  at  Fort  Benton,  which 
claims  to  be  the  oldest  permanent  settlement  in  Montana. 

I  have  already  called  attention  on  the  lirst  pages  of  this 
history  to  the  Presbyterian  minister  who  came  up  the  Mis- 
souri river  in  1857  and  held  the  first  Protestant  service  at 
the  Fort. 

In  1872,  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  returned  to  the  States  by 
the  way  of  the  Missouri  river  through  Fort  Benton.  In 
writing  to  the  Philadelphia  Presbyterian  at  that  time  he 
says  of  Fort  Benton,  "It  has  about  100  inhabitants,  besides 
Indians,  half-breeds,  and  a  company  of  United  States  In- 
fantry. So  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  no  Protestant  min- 
ister had  ever  preached  in  that  place,  and  yet  there  is  an 
open  door.  For  some  months  two  earnest  Christian  women 
kept  up  a  Sabbath  service,  their  husbands  taking  turns  in 
reading  a  printed  sermon. ' ' 

A  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  here  by  Dr.  Mc- 
Millan in  1883,  with  nine  members. 

In  the  following  March,  Rev.  C.  L.  Richards  removed 
from  Bozeman  and  took  charge  of  the  new  church.  We 
will  give  some  of  his  experiences  in  his  own  words : 

"A  few  weeks  after  the  organization  1  received  a  letter 


152  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

from  Dr.  McMillan  which  decided  me  to  move  there.  On 
March  5th,  my  wife  and  T  left  Bozeman,  going  by  the  stage 
to  Helena,  where  we  were  the  gnests  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilbur 
F.  Sanders.  Col.  Sanders  had  shown  me  much  kind- 
ness and  hospitable  courtesy  in  previous  years. 

It  was  a  hard  winter's  ride,  especially  so  for  Mrs.  Rich- 
ards. We  shall  never  forget  some  of  its  experiences,  how 
the  horses  and  stage  were  stuck  in  the  middle  of  a  stream, 
with  ice  before  and  behiod,  nor  the  long  ride  over  the  Bird 
Tail  Divide.  The  driver  entertained  us  with  stories  of 
mishaps  to  travellers.  Very  late  at  night  we  reached  Fort 
Benton  and  put  up  at  the  hotel.  We  supposed  we  might 
stay  there  five  or  six  years,  but  at  the  end  of  the  third  month 
we  quietly  packed  up  and  left  the  town. 

A  most  favorable  corner  with  adjoining  lots  were  for 
sale  and  I  secured  au  option  on  the  same  and  then  made  a 
deal  to  sell  three  strips  off  of  it  for  $500  each.  By  this  I 
was  to  get  the  corner  for  simply  working  the  deal.  But  I 
was  obliged  to  consult  too  many  parties,  and  so  the  scheme 
was  disclosed,  and  the  price  went  up  to  $2,000  and  I  was 
foiled  in  my  bargain.  ETowever,  this  misfortune  was  my 
good  fortune  in  the  end.  The  people  came  to  the  services, 
but  everytliing  else  was  wrong.  The  expense  of  living  was 
too  much  for  us.  Our  account  stood  an  average  of  one  dol- 
lar a  daj^  for  expenses  above  our  salary. 

Then  the  bottom  dropped  out  of  the  town.  Three  days 
after  we  left  Bozeman  the  locomotive  entered  it.  And  soon 
it  was  whistling  down  the  valley.  Freight  rates  took  a 
sudden  drop  and  Helena  merchants  began  to  order  all  their 
goods  of  the  railway  and  the  upper  river  traffic  was  cut  off. 
How  fortunate  it  was  that  I  did  not  get  tied  up  in  a  land 
deal  for  the  church ! 

The  crisis  came  on  a  certain  Sabbath  day.  We  placed 
the  whole  question  before  the  Heavenly  Father,  asking  Him 
to  decide  and  let  us  know  His  will.  That  very  Sabbath 
afternoon  a  letter  was  written  asking  me  if  I  would  accept 
a  call  from  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Superior,  Wiscon- 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  153 

sin.  About  ten  days  later  that  letter  reached  ns  and  we 
were  satisfied  that  it  was  God's  answer  when  we  saw  the 
date  and  its  contents.  We  finished  our  third  month  and 
left  on  the  steamer  Helena  for  Bismark  and  the  east. 

C.  L.  RICHARDS. 
March  8th,  1906,  Poynette,  Wisconsin," 

The  Fort  Benton  chnrch  was  disbanded  in  September,  1889. 
A  new  organization  of  sixteen  members  was  effected  Janu- 
ary 24tli,  1904.  Since  September,  3905,  this  field  has  been 
in  the  charge  of  Rev.  Charles  F.  Reed.  The  congregation 
worship  in  the  historic  old  brick  school-house,  built  in  1877, 
and  which  in  former  days  has  often  served  as  the  church 
home  for  the  people  of  Fort  Benton. 

THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF   WHITE    SUL- 
PHUR SPRINGS. 

The  records  of  this  church  show  that:  '^A^-liite  Sulphur 
Springs  was  visited  by  Rev.  D.  J.  McMillan,  Superintendent 
of  Missions,  December  27th,  1881;  services  were  held  in 
Good  Templars'  Hall  on  the  evenings  of  December  28,  29, 
30  and  31st  and  on  Sabbath  morning,  January  1st,  1882,  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  "V^Hiite  Sulphur  Springs  was 
organized.  Mr.  B.  W.  Badger  was  chosen  elder  and  was 
duly  ordained.  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
celebrated,  14  persons  communing." 

There  was  evidently  a  scarcity  of  Presbyterian  ministers 
in  Montana  in  those  days.  This  church  waited  nearly  six 
years  before  a  minister  was  provided.  Rev.  T.  E.  Da\is, 
of  New  York,  state,  preached  for  them  during  his  vacation 
in  the  summer  of  1886;  and  was  followed  in  October  by 
Rev.  George  Edwards,  who  remained  on  the  field  for  four 
years.  During  this  time  the  Good  Templars'  Hall  in  which 
the  church  had  been  organized,  had  ])een  purchased  and 
transformed  into  a  chapel.  This  is  an  historic  building. 
It  was  originally  built  at  Diamond  City  in  1867  by  ''The 
Union  League  of  America",  a  political  organization  of  the 
early  days.       It  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  brewer  from 


154 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 


EARLY    WORKERS    AT    WHITE    SULPHUR    SPRINGS. 
1.     Mrs.   Almon   Spencer.  4.     Mrs.   Joseph  E.   Hall. 

■>      Mrs    Elmer  J.  Anderson.  5.     Miss    Mary    Holliday. 

3.     Mrs.  Max  Waterman.  6.     Hon.    James   T.    Anderson.* 

♦Deceased   Dec.    12,    1S90. 


THE   PRESBi'TERIAX    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


155 


EARLY    AVORKERS    AT    WHITE    SULPHUR    SPRINGS. 


1.  Rev.  William  E.   Catlin.* 

2.  Mrs.  Emma  S.  Catlin.** 

3.  Mrs.    Mary    Catlin-Edwards.*** 
♦Deceased  March  10,   1903. 


Elder    Chas.    B.    Catlin. 
James   K.    Catlin. 
John   S.   Catlin. 
'Deceased   Jan.    24.   1901. 


***Deceased  June   2,   1S90. 


156  THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

whom  it  was  purcliaised  by  the  Grood  Templars  Lodge  of 
Diamond  City,  by  whom  it  was  moved  to  White  Sulphur 
Springs  in  1880,  there  being  a  large  emigration  from  Dia- 
mond City  to  the  new  county-seat  at  that  time.  So  before 
becoming  a  Presbyterian  chaj^el  this  building  had  served  for 
headquarters  for  league  and  lodge,  a  school-house  at  White 
Sulphur  Springs  and  a  meeting  house  for  religious  and 


I 

l^^^f-          ---■;.       .              \ 

k 

-J  I. 

.  '■  .^^                    HP 

THE    WHITE    SULPHUR    SPRINGS    PRESBYTERIAN    CHAPEL. 

secular  purposes  in  both  towns.  For  some  of  these  his- 
torical data  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Robert  N.  Sutherlm, 
editor  for  many  years  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Husbandman, 
at  Diamond  City,  Wliite  Sulphur  Springs  and  now  at  Great 
Falls. 

In  1888,  lots  were  purchased  and  a  manse  erected.  None 
of  the  original  members  of  the  church  now  remain  on  the 
roll.  The  last  to  depart  were,  ''Mr.  Baker  AV.  Badger  and 
Fannie,  his  wife",  to  use  the  language  of  the  record  book. 
Judge  Badger  had  served  the  church  as  an  elder  for  25 
years,  when  he  removed  to  California  in  December,  1905. 
He  was  the  active  leader  in  Sabbath-school  work  during  the 
whole  of  this  period,  generally  serving  as  superintendent. 

Judge  Badger  writes  under  date  of  March,  1906:  "We 
came  to  White  Sulphur  Springs,  August  29,  1880.  Bishop 
Tuttle  preached  the  first  Sabbath.  We  organized  the  Sun- 
day-school on  the  second  Sunday  after  our  arrival.  We 
met  in  the  public  school-house  which  is  now  the  Methodist 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA.  157 

parsonage.  Afterwards  we  held  services  in  the  Good 
Templars'  Hall,  next  in  the  court-house.  It  was  called  a 
Union  Sunday-school.  We  had  preaching  at  long  inter- 
vals, only  occurring  when  a  preacher  strayed  our  way.  We 
had  "Bible  Readings"  of  our  own  in  place  of  preaching 
services.  Snow  fell  heavily  over  our  valley  in  the  winter 
of  '80  and  '81,  and  drifts  used  to  form  in  front  of  the  school- 
house,  so  that  it  was  a  usual  sight  that  first  winter  for  the 
undersigned  to  be  seen  heading  his  Sunday-school  party 
with  a  shovel  on  his  shoulder,  to  cut  a  channel  through  the 
drift  to  the  school-house  door." 

In  the  spring  of  1882,  Rev.  William  E.  Catlin  and  family 
came  to  A^liite  Sulphur  Springs,  having  been  preceded  two 
years  by  the  elder  sons.  This  family  was  always  active  in 
the  religious  life  of  the  town.  Mr.  Catlin  was  a  Congrega- 
tional minister  and  retained  his  ecclesiastical  connection, 
with  the  Congregational  Association  of  Montana,  but  he 
and  his  family  placed  their  church  membership  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  For  twenty  years  he  was  pastor-at-large 
in  the  community,  always  answering  to  the  call  in  case  of 
wedding,  funeral  or  vacant  pulpit.  During  the  four  years 
that  the  writer  was  pastor  at  "White  Sulphur  Springs, 
Father  Catlin  sat  in  the  pulpit  with  him  and  assisted  in  the 
services.  Mr.  Charles  B.  Catlin  is  now  a  ruling  elder  in 
the  church,  having  served  since  1894. 

Among  the  pleasant  memories  that  come  to  mind  in  con- 
nection with  my  first  charge  as  a  home  missionary  are :  the 
wedding  at  the  Tatlin  ranch,  on  April  4,  1889,  followed  by 
a  house  warming  at  the  manse,  at  which  the  village  band  fur- 
nished the  music ;  a  silver  wedding  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Max 
Waterman  in  1890;  Father  and  Mother  Catlin 's  golden  wed- 
ding on  April  8,  1900,  and  the  special  services  at  the  chapel 
in  1890,  conducted  by  Dr.  Wishard,  assisted  by  elder  E. 
Sharpe  and  Jesse  Armitage,  of  Helena,  at  the  conclusion  of 
which  several  of  the  young  people  confessed  Christ  by  unit- 
ing with  the  church. 


158 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


1.     The    Church    of   1887. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  GREAT  FALLS. 

2.     The  Church  of  1892. 


3.     The    Church    of   1903. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


159 


CHARTER  MEMBERS  OF  THE  GREAT  FALLS  CHURCH. 

1.  AVilliam    F.    Junkin.  3.     William  P.   Beachley. 

2.  Mrs.  Eliza  Junkin.  4.     Mrs.    Kate   C.    Beachley. 

5.     Mrs.   Margaret   Sutherland. 


IRO  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


THE  WORK  OF  REV.  EDWARD  PAYSON  LINNELL. 

Mr.  Linnell  was  the  second  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Miles  City,  serving  from  June,  1882,  to  Decem- 
ber, 1885.  He  then  succeeded  Rev.  D.  J.  McMillan,  D.  D., 
as  Presbyterial  Missionary.  After  seven  months  of  active 
service,  he  died  in  the  harness,  July,  1886.  During  this 
time  he  organized  the  church  at  Boulder,  December  27,  1885, 
and  the  church  at  Anaconda,  as  related  by  Dr.  McMillan. 
After  a  trip  through  the  Judith  Basin,  in  the  spring  of  1886, 
he  visited  the  theological  seminaries  to  secure  young  men 
for  new  fields.  I  was  then  a  senior  in  Princeton  Seminary. 
In  April,  Mr.  Linnell  called  at  my  room  with  map  in  hand 
and  unfolded  to  me  the  possibilities  of  missionary  work  in 
Montana,  and  especially  in  the  Judith  Basin. 

From  Rev.  T.  V.  Moore,  D.  D.,  who  for  fifteen  years 
served  as  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hel- 
ena, I  have  received  the  following  account  of  Mr.  Linnell 's 
work  in  June,  1886,  just  before  his  death : 

"The  trip  on  which  Linnell  and  I  organized  the  Great 
Falls  Church  was  his  last  work,  indeed,  his  last  journey.  We 
went  in  my  buggy,  drawn  by  two  little  (almost  dwarf) 
mules,  formerly  the  property  of  X.  Biedler,  the  old  Mon- 
tana Vigilante,  which  he  had  apparently  left  in  some  livery 
stable  in  Helena  where  they  had  been  taken  for  their  board 
bill.  Helena  was  then  Great  Falls'  nearest  railroad  point. 
One  of  us  drove  whilst  the  other  wielded  a  large  switch  dur- 
ing the  greater  portion  of  the  day  in  order  to  assist  the  loco- 
motion.     We  worked  our  passage. 

We  first  went  to  Great  Falls  where  we  spent  a  few  days, 
including  a  Sunday,  and  organized  the  church,  as  you  know. 
The  city  was  then  a  straggling  assemblage  of  frame  houses 
and  of  tents  which  served  as  houses  to  many.  We  not  only 
searched  the  town  for  Presbyterians,  but  drove  out  into  the 
country  for  some. 

Thence  we  went  to  Benton  where  we  hunted  up  the  scat- 
tered remnants  of  the  former  church,  but  did  not  see  our 
way  to  re-organize  it.       Thence  we  drove  up  the  river  to 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA.  161 

Chouteau  where  we  had  a  service  on  Sunday,  but  organized 
no  church.  We  then  drove  back  to  Helena  by  way  of  Florence 
and  the  Sun  River.  On  this  journey  we  were  lost  one  night 
near  Florence  and  spent  the  whole  night  on  the  prairie,  Lin- 
nell  in  the  buggy  and  I  on  a  pile  of  poles,  without  food  or 
drink,  and  tormented  by  mosquitoes.  Poor  fellow !  he  suffer- 
ed sometimes  terrible  agony  during  the  journey,  especially 
after  eating,  or  drinking  cold  water.  I  had  sometimes 
to  stop  the  buggy  on  the  prairie  and  he  would  get  out  and 
literally  roll  on  the  ground,  doubled  up  with  the  intense 
pain. 

Wlien  we  reached  Helena,  the  doctor  informed  me  that 
Linnell  was  suffering  with  cancer  of  the  stomach.  I  think 
he  did  not  tell  Linnell  so  plainly  his  opinion.  From  Helena 
he  went  to  Bozeman,  intending,  I  think,  to  actively  continue 
his  work.  He  never  got  any  further,  but  died  shortly  after- 
wards at  Stevenson's  parsonage,  two  weeks  after  our  return. 
So  that  the  organization  of  the  Great  Falls  church  was  his 
last  official  work." 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  BOULDER. 
By  Rev.  T.  A.  Wiekes. 

The  First  Presb5i:erian  Church  of  Boulder  is  entitled  to 
a  place  among  the  pioneer  churches  of  Montana,  because 
of  the  fact  that  regular  preaching  was  begun  as  long  ago  as 
1881,  when  the  county-seat  was  but  a  very  small  village  and 
existed  chiefly  as  a  junction  on  the  famous  old  stage  lines 
managed  by  Gilmer,  Salsbury  and  Co.  The  overland  stages 
from  Salt  Lake  City  here  met  the  coaches  from  the  new  and 
promising  camp  of  Butte  and  carried  their  passengers  on 
to  Helena,  the  capital. 

Rev.  T.  N.  Todd  was  then  the  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Wiekes  and  was  able  to  give  one  Sunday  a  month  to  this 
place,  but  simply  as  a  missionary  enterprise,  never  thinking 
that  it  was  possible  that  a  church  should  be  formed  here,  so 
limited  was  the  population.  Subsequently  it  became  the 
county-seat,  on  account  principally  of  its  central  location, 
and  for  that  reason  it  began  to  build  up.      In  about  1885, 


162 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


PASTORS   OF   THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   OP    BOULDER. 

1.  Rev.    Thomas  A.  Wickes.  4.     Rev.  Ambrose  P.   Haydon. 

2.  Rev.  John  F.  Lynn.*  5.     Rev.    Samuel  B.   McClelland. 

3.  Rev.   C.    Howard   Grube.  *Deceased   1896. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  1G3 

A.  S.  Kellogg  and  V.  xl.  Cook  with  their  families  removed 
from  Wickes  to  this  place  and  added  so  much  strength  to 
this  mission  that  it  was  thought  wise  to  organize  a  church. 
Rev.  L.  E.  Hanna  who  was  at  this  time  supphdng  the  church 
at  Wickes,  consulted  with  Rev.  E.  P.  Linnell  of  Miles  City, 
who  was  acting  as  Presbyterial  Missionary  and  together 
they  counseled  with  the  little  band  of  13  Christians  with  the 
result  that  upon  December  27,  1885,  the  First  Presyterian 
Church  of  Boulder  was  organized,  with  Thomas  Hall,  for- 
merly of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  and  A.  S.  Kellogg,  for- 
mer elder  of  the  Wickes  church,  as  elders  of  this  new  or- 
ganization. 

No  growth  was  made  in  the  church  for  about  two  years, 
for  while  these  were  the  palmiest  days  of  Boulder  there  was 
so  much  zeal  manifested  in  the  organization  of  all  denomi- 
nations that  seveiial  of  the  members  were  dismissed  to  form 
these  new  bodies;  but  in  November  of  the  year  1886,  the 
writer.  Rev.  T.  A.  Wickes,  and  family  located  in  Boulder. 
In  the  meantime  Mr.  Hanna  had  resigned  his  field  in  Wickes 
and  his  place  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Jesse  C.  Wilson,  who 
labored  only  six  months  at  these  two  places  and  was  the  last 
minister  for  these  two  churches  to  reside  in  Wickes,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  that  camp  was  rapidly  being  depopulated. 
After  this  the  writer,  who  was  engaged  in  business  which 
took  him  away  from  home  much  of  the  time,  supplied  the 
pulpit  in  Boulder  occasionally,  expecting  that  a  man  would 
be  found  ere  long  to  supply  both  fields  again.  It  was  soon 
found,  however,  that  unless  some  vigorous  work  was  done 
the  Boulder  church  would  disintegrate  and  be  absorbed  and 
it  became  simply  a  question  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest. 

A  special  meeting  of  the  members  was  held  at  the  house 
of  V.  A.  Cook  and  after  a  general  discussion  it  was  enthu- 
siastically determined  to  go  forward  with  the  full  purpose 
to  succeed.  The  writer  made  an  offer  that  he  would  act  as 
pastor  of  the  church  on  condition  that  he  should  receive  a 
salary  of  $600  a  year,  and  this  he  would  place  in  the  bank 
to  be  used  as  a  building  fund.      It  was  decided  to  oro:anize 


164 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


a  ladies'  society  for  the  temporal  aid  of  the  church,  a  deno- 
mination Sunday-school  and  also  a  weekly  prayer  meeting. 
This  was  done  and  they  have  continued  in  force  to  the  pres- 
ent day.  This  was  really  the  active  birthday  of  the  church. 
A  tliriving  Sunday-school,  a  spiritual  prayer  meeting,  and 
a  very  active  ladies'  aid  society  under  the  direction  of  the 
acting  pastor,  soon  resulted  in  much  good.        A.  lot  was 


THE   BOULDER   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

bought,  and  a  building  fund  started  which  was  materially 
strengthened  by  the  addition  of  the  pastor's  monthly  sal- 
ary of  $50.  In  five  years  from  this  time  a  church  and 
bell  costing  $8,000  was  dedicated  free  of  debt,  a  membership 
of  about  50  was  enrolled,  with  a  Sunday-school  of  about 
100.  The  writer  then  resigned,  feeling  that  it  was  no  longer 
necessary-  to  tax  his  feeble  strength  to  carry  the  work  and 
the  people  called  the  Kev.  J.  F.  Lynn,  who  was  afterwards 
installed  and  remained  with  the  church  about  five  years, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


165 


ELDERS    OF    THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    BOUUDER. 


1.  J.  Harold  Murphy. 

2.  Edg-ar  I.   Fletcher. 

3.  Vining   A.    Cook.* 

♦Deceased  Sept. 


4.     Henry  Dildine.** 

5.     William  T\^   Wickes. 

6.     Albert  S.  Kellogg-.*** 

1892. 

**Deceased  Nov.   22,   1890. 

***Deoeased   1S97. 

166  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

leaving  the  church  on  account  of  broken  health  and  dying 
about  a  year  after. 

Eev.  C.  Howard  Grube  followed  and  served  the  church 
about  the  same  length  of  time.  During  his  term  of  labor 
with  this  people,  the  church  celebrated  its  Fifteenth  Anni- 
versary, the  writer  by  request  delivering  the  historical  ad- 
dress. In  1902  Mr.  Grube  resigned  and  removed  to  South 
Dakota  but  his  place  was  soon  filled  by  Rev.  S.  B.  McClel- 
land who  was  installed  as  pastor  and  remained  with  this 
people  until  the  fall  of  1905.  After  an  interim  of  three 
months,  Rev.  A.  P.  Haydon  accepted  a  call  from  the  church 
and  supplied  the  pulpit  until  the  end  of  the  year  1906. 

In  every  case  when  tlie  pulpit  was  vacated  the  writer  was 
invited  to  take  charge  of  the  work,  which  he  did  except  in 
the  last  instance,  so  that  the  church  was  never  without  a 
supply  from  the  time  of  its  organization.  It  should  be 
noted  further,  that  before  the  writer  resigned  his  first 
charge  the  church  secured  a  manse  valued  at  $1,000. 

After  Rev.  Mr.  Lynn's  pastorate  all  the  succeeding  min- 
isters labored  under  the  difficulties  that  so  often  occur  in  our 
wf^ptern  towns,  that  of  a  steady  decline  in  the  population  of 
the  community.  The  people  have  been  gradually  moving 
away  for  years.  The  Baptist  and  Methodist  churches  both 
withdrew  from  the  town  and  the  others  have  continually  lost 
from  their  roll  of  membership  by  removals  from  the  town, 
so  that  the  membership  at  the  present  time  is  not  much  more 
than  half  what  it  was  at  one  time.  This  has  been  discour- 
aging to  both  people  and  pastor. 

In  connection  with  this  work  Mr.  Lynn  began  work  at 
Basin  which  resulted  under  his  labors  in  the  organization 
of  a  church  there  in  1894,  which  has  ever  since  been  joined 
with  the  Boulder  church  under  the  same  pastorate.  The 
Boulder  church  elected  to  the  eldership  during  its  history, 
Thomas  Hall,  A.  S.  Kellogg,  V.  A.  Cook,  Henry  Dildine, 
Dr.  E.  I.  Fletcher,  J.  A.  Rightenour,  J.  H.  Murphy  and  W. 
W,  Wickes.  The  first  named  was  dismissed  to  the  M.  E. 
Church.       Elders  Cook,  Kellogg,  and  Dildine  have  died; 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  167 

elders  Rightenour,  Fletcher  and  AVickes  have  moved  away, 
leaving  elder  J.  H.  ]\[urphy  still  serving  the  church. 

There  have  been  ninety  enrolled  in  the  membership  of  the 
church,  of  these  47  have  been  added  on  profession  of  faith 
and  43  by  letter. 

There  are  some  features  in  the  history  of  this  church  that 
are  of  interest:  Except  in  the  three  months,  interim  be- 
tween the  departure  of  Mr.  McCelland  and  the  coming  of 
Mr.  Haydon,  the  pulpit  has  never  been  vacant.  The  church 
has  sustained  an  exceptionally  good  choir  during  all  these 
years ;  it  has  had  also  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  liber- 
ally contributing  Ladies'  Aid  Societies  in  the  state,  and  all 
the  contributions  to  the  various  Boards  of  the  church  have 
been  above  the  average.  And  while  the  church  has  not 
grown  stronger  with  its  years,  it  has  sent  many  consecrated 
workers  out  into  all  parts  of  the  state  to  continue  the  work 
which  they  so  well  learned  to  do  here. 

THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  GREAT 

FALLS. 

On  July  1,  1903,  at  7:45  p.  m.,  the  corner-stone  of 
the  present  Presbyterian  church  building  of  Great  Falls 
was  laid.  Mrs.  W.  P.  Beachley,  one  of  the  13  charter  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  assisted  by  Mr,  Da^id  Duncan,  acting  for 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  laid  the  stone  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  audience,  the  pastors  of  the  neighboring  churches  tak- 
ing part.  On  this  occasion  the  history  of  the  church  was 
read  by  Elder  Harry  C.  Ewing.  The  following  brief 
sketeh  is  taken  chiefiy  from  Mr.  Ewing 's  history. 

It  was  not  until  June,  1886,  that  any  active  measures  were 
taken  to  establish  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  this  young  town. 
In  that  month  Rev.  Edward  Payson  Linnell,  Superintendent 
of  Presbyterian  ]\Tissions  in  Montana,  and  Rev.  Thomas 
Verner  Moore,  D.D.,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Helena,  visited  Great  Falls  and  in  the  little  school- 
house,  which  stood,  and  still  stands,  on  Third  Avenue  and 
Fifth  Street  South,  organized  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Great  Falls  with  thirteen  covenant  members.     Of 


168 


THE   PRESByTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


PASTORS   OF  THE   GREAT   FALLS  CHURCH. 
1      Jesse  C.  Wilson.  3.     Robert   M.    Ramsey. 

2.     John    Reid,    Jr.  4.     Ezra  P.   Gibney. 

5.     Fountain  R.   Farrand. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


169 


OFFICERS    OF    THE    GREAT   FALLS  CHURCH,    1906. 

1.  George   K.    Gilchrist.  5.     Wm.   Refior.  9.     Willard    H.    Leard. 

2.  Harry    C.    Ewing.  6.     Geo.    E.    Foster.  10.     Samuel   Stevenson. 

3.  Richard   H.   Wright.  7.     David  Duncan.*  11.     John    Jardine. 

4.  Chas.   T.   Sweeney,  M.  D.        8.     Robert    Russell.  12.     Edgar  L.   Bishop. 

♦Deceased  June  22,  1906. 


THE    PRESS TTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


the  original  13  members  who  met  that  day  in  the  little  school- 
house,  there  are  still  on  the  roll  of  the  church :  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
W.  P.  Beachley,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.  Junkin,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  A.  Walker.  (Mrs.  Walker  has  since  died.)  James 
A.  Walker,  Frank  Gehring  and  John  R.  Eoss  were  ordained 
as  elders  October  10,  1886. 

As  soon  as  the  church  was  organized,  Rev,  Jesse  C.  Wil- 
son, a  licentiate,  was  sent  to  occupy  the  field  and  pulpit.  Af- 
ter two  months  he  was  transferred  to  the  Bitter  Root  Valley 
to  assist  Mr.  Ellis.      He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  Reid,. 


MEAT'MfARHET 


THE  FIRST   SCHOOL  HOUSE  OF  GREAT  FALLS. 
TTiis   old   school    house  was  built   in    1S85.      The   first   school   teacher,    1885-6, 
was    Rev.    James    Largent    of    the    Christian    Church.      He    also    conducted    the 
first    regular    preaching    services    in    Great    Falls    and    superintended    the    first 
Sabbath   School.      He   died  at   Augusta,    Montana,    June    11,    1894. 

Jr.,  who  supplied  the  pulpit  for  seven  years,  until  June, 
1893.  Under  Mr.  Reid,  the  first  church  building  was  erect- 
ed in  1887 ;  the  manse  in  1888 ;  and  the  church  was  enlarged 
in  1892.  The  new  stone  church,  begun  in  1901,  when  Rev. 
Charles  F.  Richardson  was  pastor  and  who  resigned  to  be- 
come Superintendent  of  Missions,  was  dedicated  January 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA. 


171 


SOME  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES  OF  NORTHERN  MONTANA. 

1.  The   Culbertson   Church.  3.     The   Havre   Church. 

2.  The   Harlem    Church.  4.     The  Whitefish  Church. 

5.     The    Ha\  re    Manse. 


172 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


25,  1903,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Fountain  R.  Farrand. 
The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Ezra  P.  Griboney  took  eliarge  of 
the  church  in  September,  1904.  Rev.  Robert  M.  Ramsey 
and  Rev.  Frederick  H.  Gwynne,  D.  D.  have  also  served  as 
pastors  for  about  two  years  each.  The  church  reports  a 
membership  of  348.  The  Sabbath-school  membership  is 
about  500,  including  the  Boston  Heights  and  Grace  Mission 
schools,  which  for  some  years  have  been  carried  on  in  con- 
nection with  the  Great  Falls  church. 


THE    IMMANUEL    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    BUTTE. 

A  FEW  HISTORICAL  FACTS. 
By  Rev.  Samuel  E.  Wishard,  D.  D.,  Superintendent  of 
Missions, 

I  can  only  state  a  few  facts  without  embellishment. 

1.  I  went  into  Montana  in  the  spring  of  1890  and  made 
my  headquarters  most  of  the  season  at  Deer  Lodge. 

2.  In  company  with  yourself  (Rev.  George  Edwards),  in 
July,  1890,  we  organized  the  church  at  Lewistown,  preach- 
ing five  sermons  during  the  visit.  (Dr.  Wishard  preached 
five  sermons  at  Lewistown,  and  twelve  more  on  this  trip, 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHIfRCH    IN    MONTANA.  lT3 

at  Tibet,  Martinsdale,  and  White  Sulphur  Springs,  a  differ- 
ent sermon  every  night.) 

3.  In  October,  1891,  I  organized  the  cliurch  at  Philips- 
burg,  preaching  13  sermons. 

4.  In  November,  1891,  in  company  with  John  Eeid,  Jr., 
we  organized  a  church  at  Neihart,  after  preaching  four  ser- 
mons.     (This  church  was  disbanded  September,  1898.) 

5.  In  July,  1892,  the  church  at  Hamilton  in  the  Bitter 
Root  Valley  was  organized.  Eev.  Ellis  will  give  all  the 
information  of  that  valley. 

6.  In  March,  1893,  I  held  a  meeting  with  Rev.  I.  Newton 
Roberts  in  Butte,  and  after  eight  sermons  we  organized  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Butte,  now  called  the  Im- 
manuel. 

7.  On  April  19,  1893,  after  preaching  nine  sermons,  I 
organized  a  church  at  Havre. 

The  six  churches  that  I  have  organized,  or  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing, are  Philipsburg,  Neihart,  Hamilton  (Ravalli  Co.), 
Butte  Immanuel,  Lewistown  and  Havre. 

I  closed  my  work  in  Montana  when  you  divided  your 
Presbytery  into  three,  and  organized  your  Synod  in  1893. 

These  are  the  bones,  upon  which  it  is  not  now  possible  for 
me  to  put  flesh.  I  am  sorry  to  disappoint  you.  But  the 
accummulation  of  my  work  makes  it  impossible  for  me  to  do 
what  I  would  like  to  do. 

THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  LEWIS- 
TOWN. 
On  July  16,  1905,  the  Lewistown  Church  celebrated  the 
Fifteenth  Anniversary  of  its  organization  on  July  14,  1890. 
Three  of  the  pastors  who  had  served  during  this  period  were 
present  and  took  part  in  the  services,  viz :  Rev.  George  Ed- 
wards, Rev.  Albert  Pfaus  and  Rev.  Henry  Quickenden.  Rev. 
Kenneth  Brown,  who  had  charge  of  the  church  for  one  year. 
1898-99,  sent  a  letter  of  greeting,  as  did  also  Rev.  S.  E. 
Wishard,  D.  D.,  who  with  Mr.  Edwards  organized  the 
church.      The  papers  and  addresses  of  this  anniversary  oc- 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


t  i>k 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   r^^^   UEWISTOWN. 

1.  Rev.    Albert    Pfaus.  4.     Elder  Wm.  C-  Cort- 

2.  Rev.  Kenneth  Brown.  5.     William   H.   Wat>on  * 

3.  Rev.   Henry  Quickenden.  6      Mrs.   Maria  L    Watson. 

♦Deceased   Aug.    17,   1894. 


THE    PRE3BYTERIAX    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


175 


.<±:.' 


CHARTER    MEMBERS  OF    THE    I.EWISTOWN    CHT'RCH. 

1.  Wilbur  F.    Hanson,    M.    D.  5.     John  H.   ^Yilliard,   M.   D. 

2.  Mrs.    Mary   L.    Hanson.*  6.    Mrs.   J.    H.    Williard. 

3.  Mrs.   Malvina   L.    Stone.**  *Deeeased  Jan.   IS,  1901. 

4.  Mrs.    Allis   E.    W.    Stafford.  **Deceased  Jan.    15,  1901. 


176  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN    MONTANA. 

casion  were  fully  reported  by  the  local  press  and  form  the 
foundation  of  this  sketch. 

The  first  Presbyterian  minister  to  visit  Lewistown  was 
Eev.  E.  P.  Linnell,  in  the  spri^g^  of  1886.  Rev.  R.  M.  Stev- 
enson visited  Lewistown  and  Wliite  Sulphur  Springs  in  Oc- 
tober of  the  same  year  in  order  to  choose  a  field  for  Rev. 
George  Edwards,  who  had  just  finished  his  studies  at  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.  Mr.  Edwards  was  located  at  White  Sulphur 
Springs  and  served  that  church  for  four  years.      In  July, 


THE  OLD  SCHOOL  HOUSE  AT  LEWISTOWN. 
This  was  the  first  building  erected  for  school  purposes  in  what  is  now 
Ferg-us  County.  It  was  built  in  1883,  Mrs.  Winnifred  Shipman-Erickson  being 
the  first  teacher.  The  first  preaching  service  in  Lewistown  was  held  in  this 
building  by  Rev.  Jacob  Mills,  D.  D.,  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Before  this  the 
Lewistown  public  school  was  held  in  a  log  cabin,  the  teachers  in  which  were 
Messrs.  Edward  Brassey,  Arthur  Maritz  and  Judge  D.  A.  Meagher,  Mr.  Brassey 
being  the  first  public  school  teacher  in  what  is  now  Fergus  County,  in  the 
year  1881-2. 

1890,  Dr.  Wi shard  and  Mr.  Edwards  organized  the  church 
at  Lewistown,  after  holding  services  for  five  days  in  the 
Methodist  church.  That  fall  the  church  was  enrolled  by 
Presbytery  with  23  members.  Mr.  Edwards  was  invited  to 
take  charge  of  the  new  field,  in  fact,  it  was  with  that  under- 
standing that  the  organization  was  effected.  Mr.  Edwards 
borrowed  of  elder  S.  E.  McNair  of  Utica,  a  freight  outfit, 
consisting  of  four  white  horses,  a  wagon  and  trail,  with 
rhich  to  move  his  furniture  and  library  from  Wliite  Sul- 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


177 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    AND    MANSE    AT    LE\YISTOWN. 
Miss  Anna  D.  Edwards. 


ITS  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

phur  Springs  to  Lewistown,  a  distance  of  over  100  miles. 

Miss  Anna  D.  Edwards,  Mr.  Edwards'  younger  sister, 
t^as  a  co-laborer  for  fonr  years.  She  was  not  only  the 
bouse-keeper,  but  organist  for  church  and  Sabbath-school, 
teacher  of  the  primary  class,  the  leader  of  the  Christian  En- 
deavor Society,  and  the  music  teacher  for  the  community. 
For  the  first  year  the  church  agreed  to  raise  $250  towards 
the  pastor's  salary;  in  April,  1904,  the  church  assumed  self- 
support. 

For  the  first  two  years  services  were  held  in  the  little  old 
school-house,  size  20  ft.  by  30  ft.  Here  the  Sabbath-school 
was  orgauized  November  23,  1890  and  soon  numbered  77 
members  and  five  classes. 

The  manse  was  built  during  the  winter  of  1890-91,  at  a 
cost  of  $1,000,  not  counting  several  hundred  dollars  worth 
of  donated  labor.  The  church  was  built  the  following 
winter  and  opened  for  use  February  19,  1893. 

PIONEER  WORK  IN  THE  FLATHEAD  VALLEY. 
By  Rev.  George  McVey  Fisher. 

"When  I  was  preaching  at  Missoula  in  1886,  Rev.  E.  P. 
Linnell,  our  Presbyterial  Missionary,  visited  us.  He  said 
to  me, ' '  Suppose  you  go  camping  next  summer  into  the  Flat- 
head Valley  and  see  what  the  prospects  are  for  missionary 
work."  Mr.  Linnell  died  that  year.  In  September,  1886, 
my  wife  and  I,  who  had  been  married  by  Mr.  Linnell  in  Jan- 
uary of  the  same  year,  started  for  the  Flathead,  camping 
by  the  way.  Mrs.  Fisher 's  two  younger  brothers  belonged 
to  the  party. 

On  September  12th,  1886, 1  preached  in  the  Ashley  school- 
house  from  the  text,  ''Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God." 
This  was  the  first  Protestant  sermon  ever  preached  in  what 
is  now  Flathead  County.  The  school-house  was  made  of 
logs,  put  up  by  the  neighbors,  and  designed  to  be  school- 
house,  court-house,  dance-hall  and  town-hall  as  well  a  s 
church.  During  this  vacation,  which  lasted  one  month,  I 
preached  at  three  points,  Ashley,  Selish  and  Sheldon.      The 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


179 


1.  Rev.  G-eorge  McVey  Fisher.  3.     The     Fisher     cabin     and      "Gospel 

2.  Mrs.  G.  M.  Fisher  and  baby  Crystal  Horse."    which      did      missionary 

in   1887.  work  in  the  Flathead  for  fifteen 

years. 


ISO  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

next  autumn  I  visited  the  valley  several  times  and  was  asked 
to  come  and  organize  chnrclies  at  Ashley  and  Selish.  It 
was  December  1,  1887,  when  I  moved  into  a  14x20  cabin 
with  a  mud  roof  and  greasy  walls  within  a  half  mile  of 
Ashley.  Our  family  then  consisted  of  my  wife,  myself  and 
one  baby.  We  came  to  the  Flathead  in  a  covered  wagon. 
The  ground  was  covered  with  snow.  At  night  we  slept  in 
Indian  cabins  on  our  own  bed  spread  on  the  floor.  Even 
with  this  precaution  we  did  not  escape  scot  free. 

During  our  second  winter  in  the  Flathead  a  literary  soci- 
ety was  organized  which  met  at  Ashley.  One  of  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  the  society  proved  to  be  the  debate.  I  be- 
came an  active  member  which  proved  to  be  a  help  to  me 
as  a  minister.  I  was  always  prepared  to  take  part,  especi- 
ally in  the  debate,  on  which  I  was  often  appointed  when 
some  of  the  regular  debaters  were  absent.  At  first  I  do  not 
believe  that  I  was  wanted  as  a  member.  There  were  quite 
a  number  of  pronounced  unbelievers  in  the  community 
and  several  of  their  leaders  were  members  of  the  society. 
As  soon  as  they  realized  that  I  was  interested  in  other  ques- 
tions besides  religion  the  almost  impassible  gulf  between 
us  was  bridged,  and  many  of  the  unbelievers  were  seen  in 
my  audience  on  the  Sabbath. 

Our  cabin  was  within  one-half  mile  of  Ashley.  I  was 
compelled  to  purchase  a  ranch,  as  it  was  impossible  to  rent 
or  build  upon  any  person's  land,  for  nearly  every  cabin  in 
the  valley  was  at  that  time  holding  down  160  acres.  To  let 
even  a  preacher  in  was  to  put  a  temptation  within  his  reach 
to  lay  claim  to  the  ranch.  I  purchased  a  man's  improve- 
ments on  160  acres  and  filed  a  pre-emption  claim  on  the 
same.  We  had  but  one  mail  per  week;  and  that  was  ''red 
letter  day"  in  truth  for  us. 

The  school-house  proved  to  be  too  cold  in  winter,  so  I 
announced  that  I  would  be  at  the  school-house  the  next  day 
to  stop  the  cracks  between  the  logs  with  paper  and  rags.  I 
had  enough  able-bodied  men  to  assist  me  so  that  it  became 
a  "chinking  bee"  instead  of  a  task.      Many  times  we  were 


THE   PRESBYTEPllAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  181 

tempted  to  leave  the  valley  but  because  of  the  rising  gener- 
ation and  our  Sunday-schools  we  held  on.  Many  of  the 
adults  were  not  only  emigrants  but  the  children  of  emi- 
grants ;  to  build  up  a  church  from  these  seemed  almost  hope- 
less. One  man  in  Ashley  said,  ''We  have  had  no  good  luck 
since  the  preacher  came;  I  don't  know  any  other  reason  for 
it. ' '  And  he  was  in  dead  earnest.  In  a  mining  camp  the 
preacher  visited  them  and  billed  the  town  for  preaching 
services.  A  miner  stopped  and  read  the  poster  and  then 
exclaimed,  "Boys,  the  camp  won't  be  worth  a  d — n,  the 
preacher's  come  before  we  struck  bedrock." 

I  quote  from  my  diary : 

April  24,  1887.  ''Rode  on  horseback  from  Ashley  to 
Selish  (six  miles).  Owing  to  the  rain  few  came  to  preach- 
ing service.  Stopped  along  the  way  and  announced  ser- 
vices. Pried  open  the  window  of  the  school-house  and 
started  a  fire. ' ' 

January  26,  1890.  "Took  Mary  and  the  children  to  Ash- 
ley in  a  hayrack,  which  was  half  full  of  hay,  started  the  fire, 
rang  the  bell,  and  chopped  the  wood  as  usual." 

I  often  had  a  round  trip  of  twenty-four  miles  on  horse- 
back, with  two  sermons  and  Sabbath-school.  Sometimes 
went  into  the  store  and  invited  the  crowd  to  come  to  ser- 
vices.     They  generally  responded. 

December  1,  1889.  "Went  to  Fairview  school-house  on 
the  east  side,  crossed  the  river  on  the  ferry  boat,  making  a 
round  trip  of  twenty-four  miles.  Mr.  Stewart  and  three 
children  came  just  as  I  was  leaving.  We  waited  almost  an 
hour,  then  started  home  and  met  four  others  coming.  Could 
not  return  as  I  had  an  appointment  at  Ashley  in  the  even- 
ing, so  announced  preaching  again  in  two  weeks." 

One  poor  old  German  woman  was  always  at  these  services, 
she  understood  no  English  except  the  words  God  and  Lord 
Jesus,  but  she  said  that  she  always  felt  better  when  she  came 
to  church.  I  did  not  organize  a  Presbyterian  church  in  the 
valley  until  June  2nd,  1889,  which  was  at  Ashley  and  con- 
sisted of  seven  members.       This   church   was   afterward.> 


1S2 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  183 

merged  into  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Kalispel]^ 
which  was  organized  with  17  members,  August  13,  1891. 
Other  points  where  I  had  Sabbath-schools  or  held  preaching 
services  are  now  occupied  by  the  Methodists.  I  started 
the  work  at  Brochen,  Fairview  and  Pine  Grove,  which  now 
have  chapels. 

I  also  organized  a  Presbyterian  church  at  Ijibby,  where 
we  held  the  first  religious  services.  Ashley,  Kalispell  and 
Libby  are  the  only  churches  I  organized  in  the  Flathead 
Valley. 

We  once  had  a  genuine  Indian  scare.  In  March,  188Sy 
Judge  Lynch  hung  two  Indians  to  a  tree  on  the  bank  of  the 
Flathead  river.  At  a  "T"  dance  in  Tobacco  Pliiis  some 
Indians  got  drunk  and  told  how  the  fall  before  they  had 
killed  and  burned  the  bodies  of  three  prospeciors  m  Wolf 
Creek.  A  squaw  told  a  white  store  keeper  of  the  reported 
crime.  Two  of  the  four  criminals  were  hung,  one  escaped,, 
but  was  hung  afterwards  by  the  sheriif  of  Missoula  County 
for  another  murder  of  a  white  man  on  the  Flathead  Reser- 
vation. One  of  them,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  turned  state's  evi- 
dence, when  promised  his  liberty.  His  story  was,  ''The 
Indians  came  upon  the  prospectors  when  eating  dinner  and 
were  invited  to  eat  with  them,  which  they  did.  The  guns 
of  the  prospectors  were  leaning  against  a  log.  After  the 
meal  the  Indians  came  between  the  white  men  and  their 
weapons  and  at  once  seized  them  and  shot  the  men  and 
burned  their  bodies. ' '  After  this  hanging  bee  it  was  feared 
that  the  Indians  on  the  Reservation  would  seek  revenge 
upon  the  isolated  Flathead  Valley.  A  report  came  one 
Sabbath  afternoon  through  a  freighter,  whom  some  Indian 
boys  scared  at  Dayton  Creek,  by  telling  him  the  Indians- 
were  going  to  kill  him.  The  Indians  named  him,  ' '  The  man 
with  the  big  mouth  and  the  little  heart."  He  mounted  one 
of  his  horses,  leaving  his  freight,  and  came  with  all  possible 
speed  to  the  valley.  The  news  spread  like  wild  fire  and 
soon  wagons  and  families  were  seen  coming  into  Ashley 
from  all  directions. 


1S4 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    AND    MANSE    AT    KALISPELL. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN    MONTANA.  185 

The  next  day  seventy  armed  and  mounted  men  went  down 
to  the  Reservation  to  interview  the  Indians  which  came 
very  near  precipitating  a  fight.  The  log  school-house  was 
now  turned  into  a  lodging  house  and  dance  hall.  In  early 
days  there  were  but  two  occasions  upon  which  the  people 
failed  to  dance, — at  a  funeral  and  at  church.  During  the 
scare  every  one  came  to  town  for  safety,  except  my  family 
and  one  other.  I  felt  that  there  was  more  danger  from 
the  accidental  discharge  of  pistols  and  guns  than  from  In- 
dians. 

NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  ALEXANDER  K.  BAIRD,  D.  D. 

My  first  breath  of  Montana  air  was  fifty  below  zero.  But 
I  know  I  cannot  compete  with  our  ecclesiastical  old-timers 
in  temperature  and  with  this  one  reference  I  leave  them  in 
possession  of  that  chestnut.  Soon  the  chinook  came  and  not 
without  violence.  The  high  cliimney  on  the  kitchen  of  the 
Helena  manse  lost  its  equilibrium  and  went  through  the  roof 
and  the  doctor  was  in  Honolulu.  No,  he  was  not  doctored 
then,  only  plain  T.  V.  Moore, 

There  was  not  a  Presbyterian  "D.  D."  in  the  Territory  in 
those  good  old  days.  By  the  way  I  believe  there  was  one, 
who  deservedly  occupies  a  high  niche  among  our  Presby- 
terian Pioneers,  Rev.  D.  J.  McMillan,  D.  D. 

Rev.  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  was  Presbyterian  prospector 
and  overseer  from  the  Big  Muddy  to  the  Pacific  and  from 
New  Mexico  to  Hudson's  Bay  Territory.  Dr.  McMillan 
was  his  successor,  though  I  think  his  parish  was  not  quite 
so  big.  He  then  became  founder  and  president  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Montana  at  Deer  Lodge,  and  also  organizer,  adviser 
and  preacher  in  camp  and  clachan  for  a  hundred  miles 
around,  until  called  to  Gotham  to  supervise  the  Presbyterian 
Missions  of  the  nation. 

The  climate  of  Montana  has  a  harsh  side  to  it.  With  me, 
however,  it  has  always  been  reasonable.  My  first  work,  be- 
ginning in  January,  1888,  was  to  visit  all  the  churches,  not  a 
long  roll.  As  they  multiplied,  my  visits  continued.  By 
rail  and  stage,  by  team  and  foot,  never  on  horseback,   (a 


1S6  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


REV.   ALEXANDER   K.    BAIRD,    D.   D. 


THE   PRESBi'TERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA.  187 

lame  excuse  for  a  cowboy  am  I),  thousands  of  miles,  over 
ranges  and  bench  lands,  every  month  of  the  year,  and 
year  after  year,  and  I  never  really  suffered  from  cold  or 
heat  and  never  was  in  peril  or  fear  from  any  storm,  blizzard 
or  cloudburst,  unless  once,  when  under  the  pilotag'e  of  the 
father  of  Presbyterianism  in  the  Judith  Basin,  Rev.  George 
Edwards,  we  lost  our  way  and  drove  hither  and  thither  half 
of  the  night,  in  Egj^ptian  darkness,  amid  the  sound  of  many 
waters,  debauching'  at  last  on  the  banks  of  the  raging  Ross' 
Fork.  But  the  extent  of  the  disaster  was  wet  theology  and 
no  supper.      Both  doubtless  blessings  in  disguise. 

(If  that  Ross'  Fork  incident  of  February,  1888,  is  to  be 
mentioned,  the  details  should  be  more  accurately  recorded. 
In  the  midst  of  an  early  thaw  Dr.  Baird  and  I  made  a  tour 
of  the  Judith  Basin.  Driving  from  Lewistown  to  Philbrook 
we  reached  the  unbridged  and  bank-full  Ross'  Fork  after 
sundown.  In  fact  the  treacherous  stream  was  beyond  its 
banks  and  had  extemporized  an  island  in  the  midst  of  the 
flood.  We  drove  upon  the  island  without  difficulty,  but 
when  the  doctor  heard  the  rushing  torrent  that  faced  us,  he 
showed  the  white  feather  for  the  only  time  in  his  life,  and 
said,  ' '  This  island  is  good  enough  for  me.  I  '11  camp  right 
here.  Go  ahead  if  you  want  to,  you  are  are  only  an  old 
bachelor,  but  I  have  a  family  back  east. ' '  Now,  it  was  miles 
to  any  ranch  behind  us,  but  the  light  of  a  cabin  shone 
brightly  on  the  other  side,  which  meant  a  bed  and  supper. 
So  Dan  and  Trueboy  faced  the  angry  stream  and  reached 
the  farther  shore,  though  the  hind  wheels  swung  down  stream 
and  the  water  overflowed  the  bed  of  the  bugg\\  Then  there 
was  nothing'  to  do  but  to  go  back  through  the  waters  and 
pick  up  the  doctor.  Together  we  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of 
the.  Lisch  family.  The  doctor  was  so  busy  drying  out  his 
sermons  that  he  forgets  the  warm  supper  and  comfortable 
bed.) 

It  was  my  fortune  all  these  years,  to  make  my  long  ex- 
posed trips,  just  before,  or  just  after,  or  somewhere,  hap- 


188  THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 

pily,  in  between,  the  wild  driving:  storms  tliat  occasionally 
cause  suffering  and  loss,  even  in  favored  Montana. 

But  I  came  to  Montana  after  the  heroic  period.  My  work 
began  at  an  unfortunate  time  for  maldng  interesting  his- 
tory. Not  late  enough  to  be  in  the  swing  and  swim  of  the 
rapid  and  cheering  progress  of  the  past  few  years,  and  too 
late  for  the  glamour  of  antiquarian  research  in  the  pre- 
historic period.  The  genuine  pioneers  and  heroes,  such 
as  the  traditionary  Presbyterian  minister  who  came  to  Fort 
Benton  on  the  first  steamboat  and  held  services  there,  on  to 
Eev.  George  Grantham  Smith,  who  labored  in  Alder  Gulch 
and  Banna ck,  Eev.  Dr.  Jackson  and  the  ''three  R's",  Rus- 
sel,  Rommel  and  Richards,  and  their  immediate  successors, 
Wickes,  Cook,  Linnell,  Crittenden,  these  had  all  passed 
away,  or  retired  from  the  active  missionary  work  in  the  field 
or  left  the  Territory.  Tlie  six  churches  and  three  R's  which 
Dr.  McMillan  found  had  grown  to  some  fourteen  churches 
and  about  as  many  ministers.  Revs.  Armstrong,  Edwards, 
Stevenson,  Reid,  Willson,  Moore,  Ellis,  Cobleigh,  Lamont, 
Groeneveld  and  Fisher,  and  it  may  be  one  or  two  more.  The 
churches  were  Miles  City,  Livingston, — just  alive — Boze- 
man,  Hamilton  (Gallatin  Valley),  Helena  First,  Butte  First, 
Wickes,  Boulder,  Deer  Lodge,  Anaconda,  Fort  Benton,  de- 
ceased, or  rather  in  a  state  of  trance,  now  revived  and  ac- 
tive. Great  Falls,  White  Sulphur  Springs,  Philbrook,  Phil- 
ipsburg,  (I  had  trouble  founding  Philipsburg  Church,  but 
doubtless  it  has  been  born,  the  evidence  is  ample),  Missoula, 
Stevensville,  Victor  and  Skalkaho.  This  church  was  thought 
to  be  dead,  probably  it  was,  but  shortly  after,  it  rose  from 
its  ashes  under  a  new  name,  Grantsdale,  and  continues  in 
vigor  and  promise.  How  many  lives  a  Presbvterian  church 
has  we  do  not  know,  but  I  know  it  is  very  hard  to  kill. 
Doubtless,  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  Herculaneum,  if 
there  were  any,  perished,  with  the  city.  It  takes  just  such 
a  catastrophe  to  insure  the  reliable  demise  of  a  Presbyterian 
church. 

The  center  of  George  Edwards'  parish  was  White  Sul- 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


189 


plmr  Springs,  its  diameter  was  seventy-five  miles;  or,  let  me 
see,  wasn't  the  radius  about  that?  Davis  Willson  was  trying 
his  'prentice  hand  in  the  Gallatin  Valley  and  has  been  a 
growing  power  in  it,  and  blessing  to  it,  all  these  eighteen 
years.  Thomas  J.  Armstrong  had  just  gone  to  Miles  City,  a 
man  of  God,  influential  and  beloved.  E.  M.  Stevenson  was 
laying  foundations  in  Bozeman  and  reaching  out  far  and 
wide  in  abundant  labors.  T.  V.  Moore  was  the  new  pastor 
of  the  Helena  church  and  prospering  with  the  growing  city. 


THE    PHILBROOK    PRESBYTERIAN    CHAPEL. 

E.  J.  Groeneveld  was  closing  his  first  pastorate  in  Deer 
Lodge  and  going  to  Butte  First,  where  he  still  continues,  the 
oldest  and  one  of  the  most  honored  pastors  in  the  state. 
Thomas  J.  Lamont  was  laying  good  foundations  in  Ana- 
conda. Missoula  was  vacant.  There  I  preached  in  the 
smallest  church  building  I  ever  preached  in,  unless  it  be  the 
Philbrook  one,  which  Brother  Edwards  redeemed,  disin- 
fected, and  renovated  from  a  saloon.  It  was  a  curiosity. 
What  hath  these  years  wrought  in  Missoula!  John  Reid, 
Jr.,  was  enthusiastically  at  work  in  the  new  born  church  of 


190 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 


Great  Falls.  He  showed  the  tenderfoot  Presbyterial  Mis- 
sionary no  little  kindness.  And  in  this  he  was  not  singular ; 
I  cannot  call  the  roll.  E.  M.  Ellis  held  the  Bitter  Eoob 
Valley,  George  M.  Fisher  had  jnst  crossed  the  Cabinet  range 
and  pre-empted  the  Flathead.  This  valley  was  "as  the 
garden  of  the  Lord  as  thou  comest  unto  Zoar. "  But  the 
settlers  were  few  and  scattered  and  not  very  vigorous  in 
church  work.  Brother  Fisher,  for  several  years  had  little 
to  show  for  his  lonely,  hard,  faithful  work ;  but  he  held  on 


THE  SOUTH  BUTTE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  AND  MANSE. 

and  the  tide  turned  and  he  sees  to-day  a  well  settled  valley 
with  good  towns  and  strong  churches.  He  neither  waited 
nor  labored  in  vain.  I  visited  all  these  churches  and  held 
services  in  many  places  besides,  in  1888.  After  an  inter- 
regnum of  five  years,  during  which  Dr.  Wishard  and  Dr. 
Wormser  had  the  care  of  the  field,  I  returned  and,  except- 
ing one  year  of  enforced  absence,  during  which  Dr.  Gwynne 
efficiently  carried  forward  the  work,  I  remained  until  Au- 
gust, 1901. 

From  my  return  to  Montana  in  the  beginning  of  1894,  we 
were  handicapped  for  a  number  of  years  by  the  discourag- 
ing ukase  from  missionary  headquarters,  "No  new  work", 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


191 


|pa;^,'agi.i»  u-^iuMwaw^r 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF   CHINOOK— THE   CHURCH   BUILDING. 
1.     Elder  Maurice  Montgomery.  2.     Elder  John  Matheson. 

3.     Rev.   John    S.   Hamilton. 


192  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA. 

and  one  year  at  least  with  a  horizontal  ten  per  cent  cut  on 
old  work.  But  new  mines  and  farms  were  opened  up,  new 
smelters  built,  new  water  ditches  dug  and  new  blood 
infused  into  the  population  right  along.  Steadily  the  state 
grew  in  population  and  wealth  and  the  church  could  not  al- 
together stand  still.  Somehow  everything  that  has  life 
must  grow.  The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Montana  was 
living  and  it  grew,  slowly  and  painfully,  it  is  true,  but  it 
grew.  We  lost  now  and  then  fine  ministers  but  we  gained 
as  good  ones  as  we  lost  and  added  to  their  number  from 
year  to  year. 

The  following  churches  are  more  especially  my  children, 
or  in  which  I  labored  more  or  less,  and  had  some  share  in 
laying  foundations;  Granite,  Libliy,  Kalispell,  Chinook, 
Harlem,  Sand  Coulee,  Stockett,  Forsyth,  Manhattan,  Cen- 
tral Park,  the  Holland  Churches,  now  gone  from  us,  Dillon, 
Twin  Bridges,  South  Butte,  and  Basin,  and  others  that  I 
had  the  privilege  of  nurturing  from  a  very  tender  age,  and 
still  others  that  looked  to  me  for  counsel  and  help,  in  times 
of  weakness,  stress  and  trial.  In  regard  to  most,  if  not  all 
of  these,  I  could  furnish  much  first  hand  data.  But  as 
hinted  above,  these  all  belong  to  the  historic  period,  and 
anything  I  could  contribute  would  be  but  a  repetition  of 
data  already  on  file  with  the  historian  of  Synod,  All  the 
churches  of  Montana  are  dear  to  me  and  the  ministers  with 
whom  I  labored  and  whose  counsel  and  hospitality  I  enjoyed, 
are  as  brethren  beloved,  I  cannot  recall  an  exception,  I 
would  like  to  pen  an  appreciation  of  everyone  of  them. 
And  not  of  the  ministers  only,  but  of  the  staunch  laymen 
and  honorable  women  not  a  few,  who  simply  would  not  l)e 
discouraged.  But  all  this  would  be  out  of  place.  My 
heartfelt  thanks  to  all  the  ministers,  elders  and  workers 
in  the  churches  of  Montana,  through  all  these  years,  to 
whom  I,  to  whom  ye  all,  owe  so  much. 

I  count  myself  happy  in  my  predecessors  in  the  mission 
work  of  Montana.  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  held  a  brief  for 
the  Presbyterianism  of  the  north-west  quarter  of  the  United 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   MONTANA.  193 


States  and  he  honored  the  missive.  Dr.  ]\IcMillan  was  a 
Christian  rough  rider  in  ]\Iormondom  and  the  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  Dr.  Jackson.  Dr.  Wishard,  the  Nestor  of  Rocky 
Mountain  Presbyterianisni.  may  I  not  say  of  Eocky  Moun- 
tain Christianity?  Mr.  Linnell  was  a  consecrated  and  noble 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  his  days. 
AATio  could  come  after  such  kings!  And  also  I  count  myself 
happy  in  my  successors,  Dr.  Gwynne,  able  and  indefatigable, 
and  Charles  F.  Richardson,  in  whose  hands  our  Church  ad- 
vances by  leaps  and  bounds. 

I  am  happ}^  to  have  had  a  place  in  the  apostolic  succession 
of  militant  Presbyterianism  in  the  Treasure  State. 

WORK  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  AMONG 

THE  INDIANS  OF  MONTANA. 

By  Rev.  Edwin  J.  Lindsey,  who  has  been  a  missionary  to 

the  Indians  of  Fort  Peck  Reservation  for  the 

past  17  years. 

The  Board  of  Foreign  ]\rissions  began  work  on  Fort  Peck 
Reservation  in  1881.  Two  ladies,  the  Misses  Dickson  and 
McCreight,  then  began  a  Mission  School  here,  at  Poplar. 
For  the  first  two  years  tliey  liad  Rev.  George  W.  Wood  as 
superintendent  of  the  work.  After  two  years  Mr.  Wood 
moved  to  Wolf  Point  and  opened  a  Mission  School,  or 
preaching  station  there  and  Rev.  M.  E.  Chapin  came  to 
Poplar,  remaining  two  or  three  years.  In  the  pioneer  work 
the  people  were  taught  to  read  and  write  their  own  language 
and  some  knowledge  of  English.  But  the  great  object  was 
to  instruct  the  people  in  Bible  knowledge  and  the  saving 
power  of  Christ. 

There  were  many  discouragements,  as  the  people  were  al- 
ways on  the  go,  hunting  buffalo  and  deer,  or  visiting  from 
place  to  place.  One  after  another  the  laborers  quit  the 
field,  or  went  to  other  stations.  For  a  whole  year,  1889-90, 
the  field  was  vacant.  Most  of  the  Indian  helpers  followed 
the  white  missionaries. 

In  the  fall  of  1890,  the  writer  and  his  wife  came.  My 
wife  is  a  granddaughter  of  Dr.  Thomas  S.  Williamson,  who 


194 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


1.     Rev.   Edwin   J.   Lindsey. 

3.     The  Mission  Chapel  at  Poplar. 


2.    Mrs.  E.  J.  Lindsey.* 
*  Died  Sept.  8,  1906. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX   MONTANA.  195 

spent  40  years  among  the  Sioux  in  Minnesota  and  the  Da- 
kotas,  one  of  the  translators  of  the  Bible  into  the  Dakota 
language  and  one  of  the  most  successful  founders  of  mission 
work  among  the  Sioux.  She  had  also  taught  among  the 
Yankton  Sioux  in  South  Dakota.  The  writer  was  a  home 
missionary  from  Iowa. 

The  writer  did  not  know  a  word  of  the  language.  He 
took  up  the  work  by  studying  the  language,  holding  meet- 
ings in  the  little  log  school-house  and  preaching  to  the  school 
children,  soldiers  and  others  who  chose  to  come,  in  the  large 
government  school-house. 

The  writer  lives  at  Poplar  and  we  have  a  church  building 
here  which  cost  about  $2,500,  a  Sunday-school,  a  Christian 
Endeavor  Society  and  regular  church  services. 

At  Wolf  Point  under  the  superintendency  of  Mrs.  C.  D. 
King,  we  have  a  small  boarding  school  which  should  be  just 
twice  as  large,  but  is  hampered  for  lack  of  room. 

The  work  is  now  under  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  the 
transfer  having  been  made  in  1893. 

Before  1902  there  were  two  church  organizations  among 
the  Indians,  viz:  the  Poplar  church  which  has  a  member- 
sliip  of  40  and  a  Sabbath-school  of  120  and  the-Hohay  or 
Ash  Point  Church,  with  32  members  and  22  in  the  Sabbath- 
school. 

In  July  1902  a  new  church  was  organized  ten  miles  from 
Poplar,  near  Brockton.  It  was  called  the  Makaicu  (pro- 
nounced Makaichu),  and  was  an  offshoot  of  the  Poplar 
Church.  It  was  organized  with  11  members  and  now  has 
18.  Eev.  Moses  Makay,  one  of  our  native  ministers,  is  the 
pastor.  He  and  his  wife  both  understand  some  simple  rem- 
edies and  by  the  care  of  the  sick  in  a  civilized  way  may  win 
their  way  to  the  hearts  of  some. 

December  15,  1904,  a  church  was  organized  at  Minisdah 
(pronounced  Minishda),  near  the  railway  station  of  Chel- 
sea. The  membership  is  only  15  in  full  standing,  yet  it 
includes  several  of  the  most  enterprising  Indian  families  of 
the  Reservation.       Except  when  the  missionary,   or  Eev. 


196 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


NATIVE    HELPERS    IN    INDIAN    CHURCHES. 
1.     Elder     Basil     Bearflghter     (.sitting)  2.     Elder  Moses  Merow. 

3.     Rev.  Moses  Makay. 
4.     Elder   Chester  Arthur. 


and  Glide  Reddoor. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHL'RCH   IN    MONTANA.  197 


Moses  Makay,  can  visit  tliem,  tlie  meetings  are  kept  up  by 
two  elders  of  the  clinrch,  and  tlie  work  is  growing.  Elder 
Basil  Bearfigliter  is  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  District  Court 
on  the  Reservation, 

On  December  1st,  1905,  a  church  was  organized  at  Wolf 
Point.  This  is  an  offshoot  of  the  Hohay  church  among  the 
Assinaboine  people.  It  is  connected  with  the  Mission 
School  at  Wolf  Point,  which  is  having  a  steady  growth  and 
is  becoming  a  leavening  power  among    the    Assinaboines. 


THE   MAKAICU    PRESBYTERIAN    CHAPEL. 

We  find  that  the  smaller  churches  on  the  Indian  fields  reach 
more  homes  and  do  more  good  according  to  the  number  of 
members  than  the  larger  churches.  Another  station  that 
has  a  nice  chapel  and  manse  will  soon  be  organized,  making 
six  churches  and  as  many  houses  of  worship.      Our  work  is 


THE    OLD    MAKAICU    MANSE. 
(Rev.   and   Mrs.    Moses   Makay   in   the   foreground.) 


19S  THE   PRESBrTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA, 

also  growing-  on  the  Fort  Belknap  Reservation,  tliongh  a 
cliurcli  has  not  been  organized.  This  mission  near  Harlem 
is  nnder  the  care  of  "Rev,  Alfred  Coe,  a  native  helper. 

Onr  aim  is  to  teach  and  save  the  individual  and  through 
the  individual  the  whole  social  fabric,  "Hand  plucked 
fruit  is  the  best. ' ' 

The  following  statistics  are  taken  from  the  official  reports 
for  the  year  ending  April  1,  1906 : 

PRESBYTERIAN  INDIAN  CHURCHES.  FORT  PECK 
RESERVATION,  MONTANA. 

Poplar      Ash      Minisdah     Wolf    Makaicu  Total 
Point  Point 

Elders 2  2  2  1  2  9 

Deacons 2  2  1  1  1  7 

Added  on  Examination  ...  12  5  2  1  .  ,  20 

Added  on  Certificate 2  .,  8  . .  10 

Deacons 2  2  1  1  1  7 

Total  Members 47  32  15  8  18  120 

Adult  Baptisms 10  3  2  . .  . .  15 

Infant  Baptisms 4  10  6  . .  3  23 

S.  S.  Members 120  22  20  40  22  224 

Contributions — 

Home  Missions $24  $27  $18  $13  $20  $102 

Foreign  Missions 7  1  1  5  2  16 

Other  Boards 7  1  5  36  . .  49 

Congregational    174  65  25  89  25  378 

Miscellaneous   54  41  36  94  17  242 

THE  WOLF  POINT  INDIAN  BOARDING  SCHOOL, 
By  Mrs,  C.  D.  King,  Principal. 

"Wolf  Point,  Montana,  is  a  sub-agency  of  the  Fort  Peck 
Reservation,  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Missouri 
river.  The  Indians  are  Assinaboines  of  whom  there  are 
about  700  at  this  place.  Their  language  is  a  dialect  of  the 
Sioux. 

The  Assinaboines  are  heathen,  worshipping  chiefly  the  Sun 
God  and  the  Thunder  Bird,  the  latter  of  which  they  greatly 
fear. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  King  began  work  on  this  field  in 
1893,  soon  after  it  had  been  transferred  to  the  Board  of 


THE    PRESETTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


199 


I 


THE     WOLF     POINT     INDIAN     MISSION. 
The  Boarding  School  and  Chapel.  The  "Workers  at  the  Indian  Mission. 

1.  Mrs.  H.  F.  Smith.  3.     Mr.   Henry   T.    Smith. 

2.  Miss   Caroline  Courtney.  4.     Mrs.  Cynthia  D.  King. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


Home  Missions.  Mr.  King  died  shortly  after  and  Mrs. 
King"  lias  continued  the  work. 

As  the  work  grew  a  log  chapel  was  bnilt,  the  house  was 
repaired,  the  unfinished  rooms  completed.  The  Hohay 
church  was  organized  with  11  members  in  1896. 

At  Ash  Point,  12  miles  from  Wolf  Point,  a  log  chapel  was 
built  in  connection  with  the  Hohay  church  and  the  year 
following  a  log  house  for  the  native  missionary. 

It  is  with  the  Indians  the  same  as  with  other  people,  the 
parents  can  be  reached  through  the  children ;  so  a  beginning 
was  made  in  this  direction  by  gathering  in  a  few  children 
from  the  agency  and  teaching  them  an  hour  or  more  each 
day.  The  next  year  a  day  school  was  opened  with  an  aver- 
age of  sixteen  in  attendance.  The  school  was  held  in  one 
room  of  the  house,  with  almost  no  school  equipment. 

On  account  of  the  growth  of  the  school  an  assistant  was 
granted,  and  in  September,  1898,  the  school  opened  with  38 
pupils  enrolled.  The  chapel  was  the  school  room.  Soon  it 
was  found  necessary  to  take  a  few  girls  into  the  home  or 
they  would  be  lost  to  the  school.  Then  came  the  cry,  "We 
want  you  to  take  our  boys."  The  result  was  that  the 
Board  granted  $1,000  for  an  additional  building.  The 
work  was  begun  August  1,  1900.  The  parents  hauled  all 
the  lumber  from  the  railway  station,  brought  the  stone  for 
the  foundation  and  sand.  I  said,  "parents",  for  both  the 
men  and  women  worked  at  this.  The  school  room  was 
ready  by  September  1st,  and  the  children  were  received  into 
the  home  October  1st.  Since  that  time  25  boys  and  girls 
have  made  up  the  family  home  besides  the  day  scholars. 
The  principal,  associate  teacher  and  industrial  teacher  con- 
stitute the  working  force. 

The  children  are  not  the  only  ones  receiving  instruction. 
For  the  parents  are  learning  lessons  in  industry  and  to  pro- 
vide for  themselves  and  families;  for  the  parents  are  ex- 
pected to  provide  fuel,  food  and  cluihing  for  their  children. 
Particular  care  is  taken  to  keep  the  supplies  in  a  store-room 
set  apart  for  that  purpose.       Each  pupil  is  kept  informed 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IX    MOXTANA. 


201 


regarding  his  or  lier  account,  and  is  notified  when  more  is 
required. 

The  main  object  of  this  school  is  to  give  the  children 
Christian  home  training.  The  girls  are  taught  general 
housework,  to  be  neat  and  systematic,  and  particularly  to 
be  economical  in  everything.      The  boys  do  their  own  dor- 


THE  GIRLS'   INDUSTOIAL  DEPARTMENT,   WOLF  POINT  INDIAN   BOARD- 
ING   SCHOOL. 


THE   BOYS'   INDUSTRIAL   DEPARTMENT,   WOLF   POINT   INDIAN   BOARD- 
ING SCHOOL. 


THE    PRESByTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


4t  ^^Tsi>5t^# 


f  i^5  J. 


'■^  ^  l^  ^^  H 


tHE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  203 


mitory  work,  care  for  the  school  room,  do  all  the  outside 
work,  such  as  cutting-  wood,  caring  for  the  stock,  milking  the 
cows.  Carpenter's  tools  have  been  purchased  and  the 
boys  are  being  taught  to  use  them. 

Comparing-  the  condition  of  the  people  and  the  progress 
made  since  1893,  it  can  be  seen  that  the  Indians  have  largely 
given  up  the  old  customs,  except  it  be  among  the  remaining 
old  people.  They  have  increased  their  cattle  until  many 
have  enough  to  pro^dde  for  their  wants  and  fairly  compete 
with  their  white  brothers. 

(Upon  a  recent  visit  to  the  Mission  School  at  Wolf  Point, 
I  was  surprised  to  find  one  of  the  decorations  in  the  room  of 
Miss  Caroline  Courtney,  the  assistant  teacher,  to  be  a  church 
letter  issued  to  her  great  grandparents,  "William  McNishie 
and  his  Spouse,  Martha  Napyjer, "  on  ' '  the  ninth  day  of  July 
One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  One  Years."  Miss 
Courtney  Idndly  allowed  the  certificate  to  be  photographed 
for  the  Montana  Historical  Society.     G.  E.) 

THE  WOMAN'S  SYNODIC AL  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 
By  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  AVliitehill,  Anaconda,  Montana. 

The  very  beginning  of  organized  work  for  Missions 
among  the  women  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Montana, 
was  in  the  heart  of  one  consecrated  woman,  Mrs.  E.  M. 
Stevenson,  whose  husband  at  that  time  was  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Bozeman,  where  through  her  efforts  the  parent 
society  was  born  in  August,  1883. 

But  one  month  before,  in  July,  the  church  had  come  out 
from  under  the  care  of  the  Home  Board,  and  become  one  of 
the  only  two  self-sustaining  churches  in  the  vast  Synod  of 
Utah  which  then  included  also  the  Territories  of  Montana 
and  Idaho,  the  other  church  being  that  at  Helena.  Under  the 
circumstances,  it  was  not  strange  that  some  doubted  the  wis- 
dom of  organizing  a  foreign  missionary  society,  but,  as  the 
leader  wrote,  *'we  went  from  our  closet  to  that  first  meeting, 
God  having-  given  us  a  willingness  to  fail  if  it  were  His 
will."  Eight  ladies  were  there  who  were  willing  to  take  up 
the  work,  which  has  since  grown  and  been  approved  of  the 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


WORKERS    IN    THE    SYNODICAL    MISSIONARY    SOCIET\^ 

1.  Mrs.    Thomas    A.    Wickes.  5.     Mrs.  Davis  Willson.* 

2.  Mrs.    James   B.    Butter.  6.     Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Whitehlll. 

3.  Mrs.  R.  M.  Stevenson. 

4.  Mrs   Peter  Koch  *Deceased   Nov.   19.   1906. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   MONTANA.  205 


Lord.      Before  the  close  of  the  year  the  number  increased 
to  nineteen. 

Bozeman  had  also  the  distinction  of  being  the  birth-place 
of  the  Presbyterial  Society,  which  was  formed  by  Mrs.  VaD 
Cleve,  one  of  the  Vice-Presidents  of  the  Board  of  the  North- 
west, during  the  meeting  of  Presbytery  in  February,  1884. 
The  members  were  the  women  of  the  Bozeman  church,  and 
one  visiting  delegate  from  Helena. 

Mrs.  Van  CI  eve's  visit,  which  was  in  response  to  the  cry 
that  went  up  from  this  little  band  of  eight,  for  help,  was 
greatly  blessed  of  God  and  she  is  still  remembered  with  in- 
terest and  affection. 

The  year  1894  is  marked  by  the  merging  of  the  Presby- 
terial into  the  Synodical  Society.  It  was  with  dismay  that 
the  task  presented  itself  of  dividing  the  Presbyterial  Soci- 
ety, of  but  eight  auxiliaries,  into  three,  and  constituting 
therefrom  a  Synodical  organization,  but  the  Presbyterial 
Officers  were  advanced  and  became  the  officers  of  the  Syn- 
odical, and  the  three  Presbyterial  Societies  were  constituted 
as  follows : 

Butte — Deer  Lodge,  Butte,  Anaconda  and  Philipsburg. 

Helena — Bozeman,  Helena  and  ]\Iiles  City. 

Great  Falls— Great  Falls  alone,  whose  local  officers  were 
considered  Presbyterial  officers  as  well. 

Eegular  meetings  have  been  held  each  fall  at  the  same 
time  and  place  as  Synod,  the  three  Presbyterial  Societies 
holding  their  sessions  also  at  this  time. 

The  contributions  reported  from  date  of  organization  to 
April,  1885,  were  $379.93.  For  the  year  ending  April,  1895, 
the  contributions  were  $614.50  and  for  the  year  ending 
April,  1902,  they  were  $853.36. 

The  women  of  the  Synod  at  the  present  time  are  main- 
taining 17  local  missionary  societies.  These  societies  con- 
tributed for  the  year  ending  April  1st,  1906  over  $600  each 
to  Home  Missions  and  Foreign  Missions  and  about  $200  for 
Missionary  work  among  the  Freedmen.  The  Home  Mission 
offerings  are  used  to  help  maintain   the   Indian   Mission 


206  THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   MONTANA. 

School  at  Wolf  Point,  Montana.  At  their  last  synodical 
meeting  the  societies  also  pledged  $50  for  the  repair  of  the 
buildings  at  Wolf  Point. 

THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  MISSIONARY  IN  MON- 
TANA. 

The  first  Sunday-school  work  in  the  early  mining  camps 
seems  to  have  been  carried  on  by  Rev,  George  Grantham 
Smith,  who  had  been  commissioned  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church  (New  School)  to  labor  in  Montana.  He  began  his 
work  in  June,  1864.  In  1897  he  wrote  that  ''he  took  the 
first  census  in  Virginia  City,  and  reported  the  number  of 
schoolal)le  children,  organized  schools  for  them  and  opened 
Sunday-schools."  We  know  that  Mr.  Smith,  the  pioneer 
home  missionary  of  Montana,  was  the  clerk  of  the  first 
school  district  organized  in  the  Territory.  (See  The  Pio- 
ner  Public  School  of  Montana,"  Historical  Society  of  Mon- 
tana, Vol.  V,  page  198.)  Mr.  Smith  held  a  Sunday-school  in 
the  Union  church  at  Virginia  City,  which  was  also  used  for 
a  school-house. 

Frequently  in  the  early  days  the  modern  rule  was  revers- 
ed and  the  Presbyterian  Chnrch  was  the  forerunner  of  the 
Presbyterian  Sabbath-school.  The  Helena  church  was  or- 
ganized in  June,  1872,  the  Sunday-school  in  the  spring  of 
1873.  Mr.  Rommel,  the  pastor  also  maintained  a  Sunday- 
school  at  Unionville.  In  Bozeman  the  first  Presb3i;erian 
Sunday-school  was  organized  in  September,  1878,  six  years 
after  the  church.  In  each  case  the  delay  was  caused  by  the 
lack  of  an  independent  church  home. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Cook,  the  first  pastor  of  the  Missoula  church, 
arrived  in  May,  1877.  In  August  he  reports  a  good  Sab- 
bath-school of  45  members,  Mrs.  Ferd  Kennett  making  her- 
self very  helpful  by  drilling  the  children  in  the  gospel 
hymns.  This  summer  Mr.  Cook  took  his  gun,  joined  the 
home  guards  and  went  out  to  withstand  the  Nez  Perces 
raid  under  Chief  Joseph.  In  January,  1878,  he  made  a 
house  to  house  visitation  at  Philipsburg,  80  miles  distant, 
and  established  both  a  Sunday-school  and  a  regular  preach- 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


207 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  MISSIONARIES. 

1.  Rev.    Edwin   M.    Ellis.  4.     Rev.    Loui.s   C.   Wainwright. 

2.  Rev.  James  Rayburn.  5.     Rev.    Samuel    F.    Moore. 

3.  Rev.   George   Edwards. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


ing  station.  In  April  he  went  60  miles  to  New  Chicago 
and  organized  their  first  Snnday-school  with  40  members. 
We  glean  these  facts  from  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson's  "Montana 
Scrap  Book"  by  whom  it  was  kindly  loaned  to  the  editor. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  in  August,  1880,  a  letter 
was  read  from  Rev.  J.  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,  Superintendent  of 
Sabbath-school  Work  for  the  Presbyterian  Church,  asking 
for  the  names  of  all  the  Sabbath-school  superintendents  in 
the  Presbytery.  Only  five  could  be  found,  viz:  E.  W. 
Knight  of  Helena,  Ferd  Kennett  of  Missoula,  John  S.  Mills 
of  Deer  Lodge,  Rev.  C.  L.  Richards  of  Bozeman  and  Rev. 
J.  R.  Russel  of  Butte.  This  list  probably  did  not  include 
Sabbath-schools  at  outstations;  just  as  the  59  Sabbath- 
schools  reported  by  our  Montana  churches  at  the  present 
time  takes  no  account  of  the  150  other  Sabbath-schools 
which  are  under  the  care  of  the  Sabbath-school  missionaries. 

At  that  meeting  of  Presbytery  Rev.  T.  A.  Wickes  was 
elected  Superintendent  of  Sabbath-school  work  and  he  made 
a  report  at  the  next  meeting;  but  his  office  seems  to  have 
been  equal  to  that  of  a  committee. 

In  1884,  Mr.  Samuel  F.  Moore  and  Mr.  (1.  N.  Campbell 
were  commissioned  as  colporteurs,  in  connection  with  which 
work  they  organized  36  Sabbath-schools,  Mr,  Moore  con- 
tinuing in  the  work  four  years  and  Mr.  Campbell  two. 

They  were  followed  by  John  N.  Hyde  and  George  B. 
Scroggin,  who  during  the  summer  of  1890  organized  21 
Sabbath-schools. 

In  October,  1891,  Rev.  Edwin  M.  Ellis  was  appointed  the 
first  permanent  Presbyterial  Sabbath-school  Missionary  of 
the  state.  He  had  come  to  Montana  as  a  home  missionary 
in  1884,  and  labored  at  Stevensville,  Corvallis,  Victor. 
Grantsdale  and  other  places  in  the  Bitter  Root  Valley.  At 
the  end  of  seven  years  he  resigned  his  pastoral  work  and 
became  a  Sabbath-school  missionary.  During  the  past  16 
year  he  has  devoted  his  whole  time  to  the  Sabbath-school 
work  and  is  now  Superintendent:  of  Sabbath-school  Missions 
for  Montana.      During  this  time  he  has  organized  about  275 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


209 


ELDERS    "CALLED   HOME"    IN    1905. 

1.  William  Fergus.  Lewistown  Church.  3.     Walter        B.        Miner.        Lewistnwni 

2.  Marcellus  B.  Greenwood,  Anaconda  Church. 

Church.  The    child    is    Norma    Ellen    Ranch, 

granddaughter   of  Mr.    Fergus. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


Sabbath-schools,  not  to  mention  many  reorganizations. 

Nine  different  Sabbath-school  missionaries  have  been  asso- 
ciated with  Mr.  Ellis  for  periods  of  time  varying  from  fonr 
months  to  five  years.  During  1906  Rev.  James  Rayburn 
covered  the  western  part  of  the  state.  Rev.  George  Edwards 
the  northern  part,  Rev.  Tj,  S.  Schermerhorn  the  south-east- 
ern part,  while  Mr.  Ellis  devotes  special  attention  to  the 
central  counties. 

The  Sabbath-school  missionaries  are  in  a  peculiar  sense 
the  pioneers  of  the  Church,  as  they  prepare  the  way  for  the 
home  missionary,  and  the  more  formal  religious  work  in  a 
community. 

Of  the  42  churches  organized  in  Montana  during  the  past 
fifteen  years  a  large  ma.iority  have  been  the  direct  out- 
growth of  the  Sabbath-schools  that  have  been  organized  by 
these  pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Presbjiierian  Church, 

THE  GROWTH  OF  THIRTY  YEARS. 

The  growth  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Montana,  as 
shown  by  the  statistics  of  three  decades,  taken  from  official 
reports : 

Year.                                  1876.     1886.         1896.  1906. 

Ministers    3              18             31  49 

Churches   4             16             35  56 

Elders 5             40             74  121 

Deacons 9             26  21 

Added  on  Examination . .           9            111            333  434 

Added  on  Certificate. ...         22              90            192  272 

Total  Membership 101            671         2,021  3,742 

Adult  Baptisms 4             32           134  167 

Infant  Baptism 13             41            176  168 

Sabbath-schools   3              10             53  59 

S.  S.  Membership 285           860        3.029  5,092 

CONTEIBUTIONS  : 

Home  Missions $8  $307  $1,204  $1,481 

Foreign  Missions 5  497  651  1,422 

Education   3  240  72  136 

S.  S.  Work 14  526  624 

Church  Erection 62  169  514 

Relief  Fund 19  66  205  252 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  MONTANA. 


211 


^^!^^Lf^J&.:.-f^  ■"  vSj<..  ^^^™ 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH  OF  PONY. 

1.  The  Church  Building.  3.     Elder   Edward   C.   Bush. 

2.  Rev.   Thomas  A.   Stancliffe.  4.     Elder  S.   Laus  Duncan. 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    MONTANA. 


1.     Rev.  Alexander  S.  Kerr,  Kendall.  2.     Rev.    Chas.    F.    Reed,    Ft.    Denton. 

3.     Rev.   James   B.    Butter,    Culbertson.  4.     Elder    John    W.    Steele,    Kendall. 

5.     Elder  George   McLean,    Kendall. 


THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN    MONTANA.  213 

Freedmen 19           130  316 

College  Board 53           777  165 

Total  to  Boards $35  $1,258  $3,734  $4,910 

General  Assembly  4 .  65  113 .  00  476 .  45  664 .  27 

Congregational  689  12,684  31,693  .  63,705 

A  BIRD'S  EYE  VIEW  OP  THE  WORK. 
By  Rev.   Charles  F.  Richardson,  Superintendent  of  Mis- 
sions, 1901-1906. 

That  the  Presbyterian  Church  Is  still  doing  pioneer  work 
may  readily  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  during  the  past  four 
years  there  have  been  organized  seventeen  new  churches, 
and  thirteen  of  these  were  organized  in  towns  of  from  250 
to  900  population  where  there  was  no  other  church  of  any 
denomination  and  no  resident  minister  of  any  kind'. 

In  this  time  we  have  built  seventeen  home  mission  church 
buildings  at  a  cost  of  $34,000,  and  also  nine  manses  for  our 
home  mission  ministers. 

To  the  statistical  table  given  above  we  would  add:  We 
have  now  48  church  buildings  valued  at  $198,8~"00  and  24 
manses  valued  at  $44,200,  making  a  total  of  church  property 
in  the  state  of  $243,000,  not  including  the  college  buildings 
at  Deer  Lodge. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


2iJm-l.' 41(1122) 


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